Shattered Realities
by KaitouKiwi
Summary: *AU* The Overlord has won. Darkness spreads across the land. The Golden Ninja has fulfilled the Prophecy and peace has been restored to all of Ninjago. An ancient, ferocious beast roams the land; it's insatiable appetite growing. They can't all exist, can they? Lost in time and searching for answers, Laurie struggles to make sense of the world around her. Which story is the truth?
1. Darkness

**Hi, it's Kiwi. And this is a new story. It has my OC in it. Sorry if that disappoints you. However, you don't really need to read my other books to enjoy this one, so that's good, right? It's an AU fic. Expect things that never happened in the show to happen.**

**Also, this story follows three separate storylines at once. Each chapter alternates between a different storyline, so the first three chapters are basically all introductory chapters. Enjoy.**

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Chapter One: Darkness

Dark clouds blanketed the entirety of the sky as a steady rain fell upon Ninjago City. Every building appeared grey, some crumbling and decaying; the aftermath of countless battles fought along the streets. The world seemed to be falling apart at the seams. There was nothing stopping the Overlord from spreading his newly found reign across the land. At one point in time there were several heroes that tried to stop the unforeseen entity of evil from winning. They could not lose. Good never lost when there was something important on the line, especially not the legendary ninja; definitely not the green ninja.

A hooded figure quickly made his way down the deserted street. The events of the day that everything had changed stuck clearly in his memory. It was impossible to miss the enormous dragon that had been constructed of pure darkness and malice sitting atop the highest point in Ninjago, constructed from a terrible doomsday device. The fear that settled within his heart had been unmistakable as several of the odd people made from stone approached. A rush of cold air whipped down the street, blowing the onyx cloak that adorned the figure harshly. He grabbed hold of his hood, keeping his face out of the dim light, and brought his mind back to reality. That was all in the past. This was happening right now. This terrible world that now existed could not be changed.

Rhythmic pounding slowly sounded from down the street. Heart ricocheting, the figure quickly scanned the area and bolted towards the nearest alleyway, squatting down in an attempt to further blend in with the shadows. He stiffened indefinitely as he was pulled back into the past once more. There had been so much hope in his heart as he watched the ninja scale the tower. If anyone could put a stop to something as unexpected and dark as the Overlord, it was the ninja. The stone men continued to approach quickly, the sound of their footsteps sounding as if they would crack the fading asphalt. Pulled out of the past once more, the figure pushed himself back against the dilapidated bricks. It seemed that his memories were melding with the present as a small horde of stone warriors stalked past the alley. Holding his breath, the person waited until the startling pattern of their gait retreated into the distance. It was time to leave the dark, for now.

A streak of lightning shot across the sky as a bought of ear shattering thunder followed. "No," the figure whispered desperately, getting to his feet and peeking out from the alley. "Not now. Please not now." Seeing that the coast was in fact clear, the figure raced out onto the street, traversing in the direction opposite of where the stone warriors had come from. They were so predictable, the Overlord's minions. Always traveling in groups and never back-tracking an area they had already searched. Shaking his head, the lonely stranger continued on, keeping their footfall silent. Why was the Overlord still searching for people? He had already consumed the entirety of the land; the entirety of the population. "Well, not me. I'm not quite done just yet."

The crackling of thunder seemed to rip the sky apart, causing the stranger to flinch briefly. It was not as safe as he would have liked it to be. If _they_ were starting to patrol, then he had to find a decent place to hide out for the night, quickly. Everywhere the hooded figure turned, the doors of the buildings that lined the street were boarded up. He silently cursed under his breath as he found yet another alley to duck down. The wind howled behind him, sending chills up his spine. There was a subtle pounding that was beginning to grow louder with every step he took. Feeling the anxiety building up inside of him, the stranger froze, waiting for the pounding of what he believed to be footsteps to cease. After minutes of standing in silence he finally realized that there was no one following him.

It was only the sound of his heartbeat.

"I really need to pull myself together," he whispered to himself softly, sinking to his knees. As the days slowly slipped away, he felt as if he was losing his mind and, in turn, losing himself. He did not have much time left anyways. Before long the Overlord was going to find him. The Overlord always found everyone who had not been turned by darkness. It was painful, watching as every member of the rebellion he had started lost themselves; lifeless grey zombies with burning purple irises. He shuddered at the memory and suddenly stood, keeping his eyes on the ground. Something tight gripped his shoulder and, fearfully, he glanced up.

There was a slight smirk on his face as his violet eyes narrowed deeply. "Got you," Cole stated plainly, tightening the pressure on the stranger's shoulder. Breathing harder, the figure used his left hand to awkwardly grab a knife from a pocket he had sewn into his cloak. The grip of the polished, wooden handle did not feel as comforting as it normally did. No, this could not be happening. He could not get caught, not now. Not ever. "Nowhere to run," the black ninja continued, forcing the stranger backwards. With his other hand, Cole grabbed his captive by the small fastener that kept his cloak secured around him. The hood slipped back off of his head and Cole just nodded briefly. "So it really is you. We've been looking for you for a while now. Didn't know where you'd run off to. Doesn't matter now though; I caught you and the Overlord will be pleased."

Breathing uneven, the stranger jabbed the knife upwards, into the underside of Cole's forearm. The ninja grunted in pain, but his grip did not yield. Shaking from adrenaline and fear, he attacked his captor once more, hitting the same area. Cole dropped him to the damp ground, crying out in pain. Pulling the hood back up over his face, the figure made a run for it, back out into the street. He was vulnerable now and there was no doubt in his mind that the other ninja would be on their way to see what had happened. Well, all except one. The memories were flooding back. "No," the stranger complained, feeling a slight pressure well up in his skull, "now is not the time to get lost in the past."

He was staring up at the ninja as they climbed the tower that used to be Garmadon's weapon of ultimate destruction. Plumes of wavering darkness continued to fall from the highest reaches. Despite the distance between him and the ninja, he could see as they each fell one by one. There was only the green one left. Straining to get a clear visual on the situation, the stranger attempted to get closer, but was held back by strong arms. The Overlord was terrifying, much larger than the poor ninja. Every effort was being put into combat to protect his friends; to protect Ninjago. The green ninja seemed to be slowly gaining an upper hand, the sky illuminated briefly by the green light of an energy blast. In the blink of an eye, the ninja had changed. Golden now, the Ultimate Spinjitzu Master, just as the prophecy had foretold. There was no way the Overlord could win this fight now. At least, that was what the stranger had thought as he watched on.

"I can't dwell in the past," he urged, gritting his teeth. The dull streets of Ninjago city were back once more as he consciously became aware of his surroundings. Back flat against a brick wall, the hooded figure attempted to get a better bearing on his surroundings. There was angered shouting in the distance and he was not going to stick around to see who it belonged to. Running was all he seemed to do now. Staying in Ninjago City had been a mistake. He should have just left when the entire world fell into ruin. At least he could have been happier in the Forest of Tranquility. A single tear began to slowly fall down his right cheek as he defiantly wiped it away. The city held too many memories for him; memories of hope and light. If there was anything he missed most of all, it was the light.

A hand shot out of a small alcove, grabbing the reminiscent stranger by the wrist and yanking hard. He stumbled, using his only free hand to keep the hood secured on his head. There was a sense of protest within him that was about to burst into a string of angry words just as he was pulled into the alcove. Another hand was now pushed firmly against his mouth. A small voice in the back of his mind was screaming. This situation was extremely dangerous. Not only could he not speak, but he was being detained. Frightened, he squirmed against the person holding him back. "Take it easy there, buddy," an unfamiliar voice whispered into his ear. "Just keep quiet and wait for a few minutes."

The pounding began to return, more unmistakable than ever before. If his heart continued at this rate it might just give out completely. He reached up; attempting to pry the hand over his mouth off, but it was no use. There was not much that could be done with just one free hand. "Keep cool for just a little while longer," the voice reassured him. "I'll let go when I feel it's safe." He could hear footsteps slowly approaching in an almost menacing fashion. The individual detaining him stiffened and dragged him back further into the alcove, closer to the back wall. His body was shaking now, the breathing through his nose quite noisy. "Shhh, just keep quiet and don't make a sound." So this weird person really _was_ trying to help him, but why?

As quickly as the footfall had made its presence known, it retreated. He felt his body go limp with relief, the person behind him finally releasing his right wrist and mouth. Whipping around quickly, he took a good look at the person who had probably just saved him. It was a guy, most likely around his mid twenties with sandy blonde hair that was cut short, almost buzzed. "That was a close one, wasn't it?" the guy laughed lightly, placing his hands on his knees and inhaling deeply. "Good thing I was rooting around in the dumpsters around here looking for anything that could be of use to me and my group. You could have been caught by those guys." Realizing that what the man was saying was true, the figure gave a quick nod before turning back towards the main alley and heading out. "Whoa, wait! I just _saved_ you, man. Aren't you gonna tell me why the ninja were chasing you? I mean, you don't see them around too often, just looking for people. It's usually those stone dudes."

Shaking his head and shrugging, the hooded individual ignored the questions of the man and prepared to press onwards. A strong force wrapped around his wrist once more and he internally sighed. So this nosy man was not going to let up. "Why so mysterious? I can't see your face, you're being chased by the _ninja_, and you didn't even thank the person that just saved your life." He tugged against the strong hand around his wrist before kicking backwards, making contact with the man's knee. Although he fell to the ground, he dragged the hooded figure down with him. Both sprawled awkwardly around one another, the man managed to grab hold of the mystery runner and pin him to the old concrete. "I'm going to regret helping you if you're a bad person ya know. Just tell me what's up!" Anger welling up inside, the man ripped the hood away from the stranger's face.

Bright, red hair stuck up at odd angles, cut extremely short. The features on the face were hardened by obvious burden and time, yet still seemed to be delicate. A pale blue eye stared back at him while the left was hidden beneath a crudely crafted eye patch. "You're a girl!" the man eventually said, feeling a bit embarrassed for being so rough with her. Slowly releasing her, he sat against the brick wall behind him, just staring at the person he had unmasked. "Um…sorry," he apologized, clearing his throat. "Didn't mean to startle you or make you feel threatened. It's just…um…I'm Adam." He extended a hand to the girl who just glared at it. "So I feel like you're not much of a talker. I can take you back with me to the little camp we call home. There's more of us there, survivors if you will, just like you." Her expression lightened as he mentioned there were others. "Does that interest you? Then that's cool. I just want to know one thing before I take you there: what's your name?"

She sat up quickly, placing the hood back over her head. So this Adam fellow had others that had not yet been found by the harsh darkness of the world. It was almost like the rebellion that she herself had started back when everything had initially taken a turn for the worse. Despite the voice in her head telling her that this could all just be a clever trick, she desperately wanted to see normal people again. Her voice was soft and quiet as she answered Adam's question.

"My name is Elizabeth."

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**Hope it's interesting enough. I can guarantee the next chapter won't be as interesting, but it's supposed to be that way.  
If at any time at all you are ****_ever_**** confused about ****_anything_**** please don't hesitate to shoot me a PM or talk about it in your review. I'm happy to try and explain things, though hopefully without spoilers.**

**Thanks for reading and I hope to see you guys next week. :)**


	2. Peace

**It's Wednesday and I'm on spring break right now. Yay.  
Here's an introduction to the second storyline we're working with. I don't like it, but maybe you will. I don't know.**

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Chapter Two: Peace

"Excuse me, Mrs. Museum Lady! I have a question!" A small girl with brunette curls that could make any girl jealous bounced up and down on her toes excitedly. Both of her hands fluttered wildly in the air, hoping to seek the attention of the one individual she had called for. "Mrs. Museum Lady, I wanna ask you something! It's something really, really important!" She caught the subtle glimpse of frustration that crossed the woman's face as she continued to speak over her. Despite all of this, the woman still ignored the young girl and continued to drone on about something uninteresting. Pouting, the brunette squinted to see the lady's name tag. "Mrs. Garmadon, I have a…"

The red head closed her eyes tightly and let out a long sigh. "Please don't call me that. If anything, just call me Miss Laurie." The confusion was clear on the young girl's face. "Mrs. Garmadon is my mother because she's married and stuff. I'm not married. I'm barely nineteen now anyways." All of the children currently crowded around her looked around nervously. How had everything ended up like this? One day she was fighting snakes and stone warriors and then the next day there is just nothing but tranquility across the land. Despite how terrible it was, there was part of her that sometimes wished her brother had not defeated the Overlord. At least then she would not be working in a boring museum. "What was your question though," Laurie continued, shifting uncomfortably in the polyester jacket that felt like it was smothering her. "You were saying it was important."

"I'm Brynn, Mrs. Garmadon, and I just wanted to ask you where the bathroom was because I really have to go!" The girl continued to move around, a large smile plastered across her face.

All of the energy that seemed to be bottled up inside of the girl reminded Laurie of her brother before he grew older. A smirk tugged at the edge of her lips and she took a knee, motioning for Brynn to come closer. The sea of other children that had all been standing in a loose semi-circle around the former ninja parted. Brynn excitedly approached Laurie, her dark blue eyes full of curiosity. "If you take the hallway back from where we just came from, there will be a bathroom on your second right." Laurie stood up, brushing the leg of her khaki pants off briefly. "Please don't get lost and thanks for asking. You were right, it was definitely an important question." The young girl gave a brief nod before sprinting out of the room, towards the nearest hallway. As the other children watched Brynn disappear, Laurie cleared her throat to get their attention once more. "Now, let's get back to the tour that you're all so happy to be on." A chorus of low groans filled the room, causing Laurie to laugh. "Tell me about it," the red head continued. "History can be really boring sometimes, can't it?"

"Your last name's Garmadon?" asked a boy with black, cropped hair. "I thought that was the name of the big bad guy who wanted to try and take over the world."

A sassy girl tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder before adjusting the fuchsia bracelet on her left wrist. "Nuh-uh, you're wrong. It's the last name of the golden ninja that saved the city." She watched as the boy gave her a small shove on the shoulder. "Ew, don't touch me! You're gonna give me cooties, weirdo!" Looking disgusted, the girl gave her classmate wide berth as she hurried to catch up to their tour leader. "Tell me I'm right, Miss Laurie. I mean, the golden ninja is touring the country for being so brave. I've seen the posters and everything. He's so handsome."

How old were these kids? Laurie tried to remember the exact grade she was scheduled to speak with today, but she could not. They could not be out of elementary school though. This girl thought Lloyd was handsome? Oh goodness, she must be completely delusional. "You're both right actually," she replied simply, keeping the group moving through an exhibit where the walls were textured rough to resemble sand. "They're father and son after all. The evil was purged from Lord Garmadon and the dark entity that tried to destroy Ninjago was stopped by Lloyd Garmadon. See, there's no need to fight about it."

"You have the same last name though," the boy started again, sticking his tongue out at his classmate for thinking he was wrong. "Are you a bad guy too? Do _you_ want to take over the world?"

She stopped the group at a pillar in front a glass display. Four replicas of the ancient Fang Blades from legend gleamed in the bright, fluorescent lights. "No, I'm not a bad guy," she laughed, watching as the children crowded around to hear her answer. "They are my family though: my father and my brother." Hushed whispers started as kids standing in the back were turning to each other and chatting excitedly. "You guys don't really want to hear about all of this boring stuff on this tour do you?" Laurie asked sincerely, eliciting negative feedback. "That's what I thought. Hey, I wouldn't be here either if I didn't need a job. History really isn't that interesting to me either, but I know so much about all of this boring stuff, that it was just easier for me to take a position here." Glancing around briefly, the teenager noticed the lack of authority figures in the room. "How about I tell you guys a story instead?"

"Oh, I wanna hear a story!" Brynn came racing into the room, her sneakers squeaking on the polished linoleum floor. Two girls who had been talking with each other narrowed their eyes as the bubbly brunette ran closer to the group. Smirking, one of them stuck their foot out ever so slightly, just enough to cause Brynn to trip. Her small body hit the floor hard and a small yelp escaped her lips. Frowning deeply at the bullies, Laurie walked over to the over excited girl and helped her get to her feet. "Oh, thanks Mrs. Garmadon," Brynn smiled cheerfully, her cerulean eyes bright. "I didn't miss any of the story did I? I really, _really_ like listening to stories!"

The girl that had tripped Brynn scoffed lightly. "What a loser."

So even now children could just be really mean. Laurie always thought that future generations would be a bit kinder to one another. Guess you could not purge the world from every evil, even if that evil was a misunderstanding and judgmental little girl. "You didn't miss any of the story, Brynn," Laurie answered, seeing the joy spread across the brunette's face. "It's not a very long story, and it's not even the best story, but it's better than walking you guys through this dismal museum." A hush fell over the school group as they waited to hear what the teenager was going to talk about.

"I used to be a ninja believe it or not. My younger brother is the most famous one: the golden ninja. He saved Ninjago from being pulled into a world of darkness." There were several boys with their eyes very wide; taking in every word Laurie spoke. "I was there for the whole thing too; fought alongside my friends and family, helping my brother fulfill his destiny. Being a ninja was the best because every day held something different. There was always a new adventure that we got to go on; a new enemy that needed to be stopped." Recalling all of the fights with the Serpentine and stone warriors was very nostalgic. It felt like everything had just occurred yesterday, but Laurie knew better. It had been about a year now since Lloyd had defeated the Overlord. She had finally reunited with her brother a little over two years ago. The time seemed to just fly by and Laurie let out a small breath. "Everything was always really fun, but there isn't any danger in the world anymore. No eminent threats or dastardly villains trying to take over the world. So we all kind of ended up going our separate ways."

Rolling her eyes, the mean girl's friend raised her hand up high over her strawberry blonde hair to get Laurie's attention. "That was a stupid story," she stated plainly, now crossing her arms over her chest. "Also, I think you're a big fat liar, Miss Laurie. There was no way that _you_ were ever a ninja. You work in a boring museum and you probably just _wish_ that your life had been like that."

Seriously? Laurie's ice blue eyes widened as she felt her mouth drop open slightly. Okay, not only were little girls apparently mean, they could be just downright cruel. She was secretly thankful to her mom for never sending her to school with others. It probably would have destroyed her confidence completely. Not to mention she probably would have come home from school every day and just cried in her room. Before she could think of anything to say back to the rude child, an aged man walked over. His grey hair was slicked back and he adjusted the low lying spectacles on the bridge of his nose before speaking. "Field trip is over," the teacher explained, looking about as bored as the kids had while on the tour. "Time to go back to the school." As the class gave sly grins and silent cheers of happiness, the man approached Laurie. "Thank you for taking them on the tour, young Miss. I hope they didn't cause you any trouble. They can be a handful sometimes, especially little Brynn."

Laurie glanced back towards the kids and saw them walking out of the exhibit room and back towards the lobby as Brynn excitedly approached her. "The kids were fine, sir," Laurie lied, plastering a smile on her face. The young brunette was bouncing on the balls of her feet, her smile wide. "Did you need something, Brynn?" the former ninja asked, adjusting the smothering business-like jacket that adorned her frame.

"No, I just wanted to say thanks for the tour and for the story." She gestured for Laurie to come closer and watched in awe as she actually humored her. "I bet you were probably the best ninja ever," Brynn whispered softly, her voice barely audible. "I wish I could be just like you." A smile plastered on her face, the young girl took a few steps back, now standing next to her instructor. "Thanks for everything, Mrs. Garmadon."

Giving a small sigh, the aging man placed a hand on Brynn's back, giving her the signal that it was time to go. "Please inform your superior that we are leaving and that Ninjago Elementary will more than likely use this museum again for trips in the future." He reached into a breast pocket on his grey coat and procured a folded five dollar bill which he then proceeded to offer to Laurie. She held a hand up and shook her head slowly. "Oh, very well then," he replied, stuffing the currency back into his pocket before turning his attention on Brynn. "Come along then. Let's catch up with the others."

Following her instructor closely, Brynn turned around briefly and gave a short wave before disappearing out of the exhibit hall. Laurie managed to wave back and then felt all the energy drain from her body at once. "Gosh, kids _can_ be a handful," she mumbled to herself, ice blue eyes shut as she rubbed her temples lightly. The museum would be closing soon anyways and she was grateful. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep. "Then tomorrow I do the same thing all over again," she sighed, spotting an empty bench near the entrance to a hallway and heading towards it.

A low groan filled the air as the red head rested on the seat. This life was so at ease and tranquil. There was nothing more boring. Laurie let her mind wander, recollecting the many adventures she had been on with her brother, cousin, and friends. It had been a while since she had seen her best friends, even her boyfriend. They were all teachers now, busying themselves with education. Lloyd was off on his own, touring the country for his victory against the Overlord. She felt so alone sometimes, her heart aching for the adrenaline and companionship that came only when the world was in trouble. It was completely selfish, but there were sometimes when Laurie wished that they were still fighting evil. At least it made for an exciting life.

"A dangerous life though," she told herself, glancing back at the artifacts behind her. The faux Fang Blades gleamed in the fluorescent lights, the plastic gemstones embedded in the bottom of their handles shining brightly. "These are replicas of the Fang Blades of legend," Laurie recited from memory, one of the stories she would have to tell visitors who wanted a tour. "If brought together at the City of Ouroboros, it was said that these blades would awaken the Great Devourer, a fearsome beast from Serpentine lore. A couple of years ago, the Great Devourer was released and terrorized Ninjago City, until it was killed by Lord Garmadon, with aid from the famous ninja."

Maybe the Serpentine would show their reptilian faces for the first time in over a year. Maybe a new enemy would come to light, threatening to overtake the city. Maybe Jay would make Kai really angry for some reason and then he would randomly come down to the museum and burn it down. That would be really nice. The last thing Laurie wanted was to spend the rest of her life working in this boring place. A little fire would not hurt. Hugging her arms around herself, the former ninja closed her eyes and wished for something even slightly bad to happen in the city.

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**It's so...boring. And you're probably thinking "this isn't really AUish, it's just like what happened in the new season before the Digital Overlord came back". Well, that's great, but there is one, almost insignificant, factor in this timeline that ensures the Digital Overlord won't return. I'll talk about it in later chapters. If you're too eager, I'll tell you about it anyways if you PM me. It's not too big of a secret anyways.**

**Okay. So, thanks for reading and see you next week. :)**


	3. Uncertainty

**Good Wednesday to you, fellow people. Last new story line, I promise.**

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Chapter Three: Uncertainty

The aging woman shot her another look full of distaste and apprehension. "It's not safe to travel alone, especially by foot, young lady. Won't you please reconsider our offer? We have extra seats in the back of the car. It's no trouble, really." Shaking her head once more, the exasperated teenager attempted to speak, but was cut off by the woman. "Honey, it's dangerous out there! You can travel with us to Jamanakai Village. The elevation provides better protection against-"

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Laurie spoke before the woman could continue, clutching her khaki knapsack tightly against her chest. "I can't come with you because I've already been to Jamanakai Village. I'm looking for someone and they weren't there." A harsh gust blew sand around the teenager and she covered her face with her bag, coughing. "If I go back now, all of the progress I've made getting to where I currently am will be undone. I can't afford that."

Narrowing her eyes, the older woman turned on her heel before heading towards the passenger side of the car that currently sat idle. Laurie heard the door slam shut and watched the woman talk to what she assumed was her husband. A young boy sat on his knees in the back of the vehicle, staring at the girl walking alone in the desert. She could see his eyes grow wide with curiosity. Maybe this was the couple's grandson. They did not have to stop traveling on her account. If they were so determined to make it to Jamanakai Village as quickly as possible then they were wasting time. The man in the driver's seat rolled down the window of his car. "Suit yourself, girl," he stated plainly. "It's your funeral then."

A surge of anger flooded Laurie's veins and she felt the corner of her mouth curl upwards in a snarl. "I'll remember that, sir. Thanks," she spat. With narrowed eyes, the girl watched as the car sped off, kicking up a large dust cloud in its wake. They acted like she was stupid, just like her mother did sometimes. _You shouldn't go looking for him, sweetie. There's no point and you're not going to like what you find anyways. Save yourself the heartache. Save yourself the disappointment._ Laurie pushed her mother's words away forcefully, gazing up at the blazing, blue sky. "I can do this on my own!" she shouted to no one, hearing her own voice grow more distraught with every word. "I'm going to find him and I'm going to stop him!"

People like her mother and the elderly couple were always telling her that what she was doing was wrong. She was seventeen years old, experienced enough to decide for herself what she could and could not do. If anything were to blow up in her face than it was her own fault. Learning from failure was not necessarily a bad thing, but it seemed many people thought it was. No matter, she was going to continue on her journey just like she had been. Laurie had a father to find and a brother to reunite with after all.

An earsplitting screech ripped across the desert and the girl involuntarily fell to her knees, hands scrabbling to cover her ears. What in Ninjago was happening? It felt as if the ground underneath her was shaking and shifting. Could she possibly end up sinking down into the sand? Deciding against sticking around to find out, Laurie got to her feet, hands still clamped down over her ears. The sound was beginning to dissipate, but her ears were still ringing. Nothing but sand continued to fly past as her as she caught herself running. There was an instinct deep within her subconscious telling her to get away.

Something bad was coming.

Muscles groaning and protesting in her legs, Laurie slowed her pace, fearfully glancing over her shoulder to see if anything was in pursuit of her. Thankfully, there was absolutely nothing. What had that cry belonged to? It sounded extremely large and angry. It was then that it dawned on Laurie: she had no idea what everyone was running from. The elderly couple had been adamant about leaving as quickly as possible, trying to head for a higher elevation for better protection. They needed protection from what though? _Probably the screechy thing_, Laurie thought to herself. A cold shiver ran down her spine despite the heat of the environment around her. Hopefully she would never get to see what exactly it was that everyone was so terrified of.

Hours passed quickly as the teenage girl sauntered through the Sea of Sand, draining the last drops of water from her canteen. "I don't want to die out here," she mumbled to herself, shoving the empty vessel down into the recesses of her knapsack. From where Laurie stood, it seemed like the desert sprawled forever, truly endless. Without water, she could slowly die from dehydration, but there was something much more urgent. The warm, orange sun was dipping low behind the horizon. Several stars winked down at the girl, twinkling against a salmon sky. Night would be upon her soon and then she would have to worry about freezing to death.

_Oh goody. I've always wanted to fight for my life in an oversized sand box._

Finding shelter was the first priority. Then Laurie could worry about figuring out what to do about food and water. She attempted to pick up her pace, feeling the exhausted muscles in her calves and thighs fighting against her. It really had been a long day. Actually, it had been a long couple of weeks. Laurie had never really stopped to rest her body properly since she had started looking for her father. No, she just wanted to find him as quickly as possible so she could put an end to all her inner frustration and strife that had plagued her for years. Years of pent up emotions had prompted her to make this journey and it seemed that it was these same emotions that continuously fueled her.

Gritty sand caught Laurie as she fell. Clenching her teeth against her burning lungs and shaking body, she attempted to get back on her feet. Another shrill cry broke the otherwise silent air, sending a much needed bout of adrenaline coursing through the teenager's body. Now standing upright, Laurie sprinted forward. Icy cold blood pumped inside of her, settling in her chest as the emptiness of the surrounding environment seemed to fade away.

_Just run. Get away._

Her eyes shut tightly, breathing labored as the sparse wind that fluttered through the air wrapped itself around her. Laurie shivered, noticing that everything around her felt more chilled. She tripped over something, rolling across the ground briefly before coming to a stop. Groaning, the girl opened her eyes and watched as the final few rays of warm light faded out of the sky, leaving behind the dazzling blanket of night. Her skin prickled as the steadily cooling air gave her a gentle kiss. Laurie forced herself to sit up, feeling hopelessness gnaw at her stomach. The desert became like a polar ice cap in the darkness. She could always remember her mother forcing her into a tent at the earliest sign of nightfall. Thermal blankets and sleeping bags were always a necessity for traveling archaeologists. Laurie had not thought to pack any of that with her. She had only been traveling along paths and through villages up until this point. There had been no need for bulky items. They only would have slowed her down.

_You shouldn't go looking for him, sweetie_.

A tear started its way down Laurie's freckled face and she wiped it away quickly with the back of her hand. She was too old to be acting like this. "Just think," she whispered to herself, staring down at her legs. They were clothed in black cargo pants. The color and material held on to heat well. "At least my bottom half will be warm," she mumbled, feeling another tear trying to slip from her eye. Giving a frustrated cry, she threw her right forearm across her face before getting back on her feet. A sharp pain shot through her left ankle and she gave a strangled sound as she shifted most of her weight on to her right leg.

_There's no point. You're not going to like what you find._

Was it broken? Was her ankle broken? Laurie's breathing was quickening as she gingerly applied pressure once more to her throbbing injury. Another quick bout of pain overwhelmed her and she almost collapsed to the ground again. It could not be broken. If it was broken, she would know it. Despite every nerve in her body telling her otherwise, Laurie hobbled a few steps forward, gripping the straps of her knapsack tightly. The initial pain was absolutely terrible, but not completely unbearable. With a huge effort, the girl continued to limp forward across the smooth stone underneath her. Wait, since when were there stone floors in the desert? Where was she?

_Save yourself the heartache_.

Despite the encroaching cold and darkness, Laurie was beginning to notice that the area around her was different from the rest of the desert. Sandstone slabs were scattered about the ground, sticking up unevenly out of the sand. It must have been one of these that she had tripped on. Gritting her teeth hard, she swiftly limped on her left ankle again, feeling the tingling sensation of agony claw at her once more. Pillars were rising up in the slight distance. Spidery cracks lead towards the center of a nearby area and Laurie decided to follow them. Maybe there was a city nearby and she could find someplace warm to sleep.

_Save yourself the disappointment._

The voice of her mother continued to plague her thoughts. It was worse than facing possible death out in the harsh elements. Well, not exactly, but it sure felt like it was worse. The cracks began to grow wider, revealing portions of the sandstone that had fallen through the earth, down into the darkness that lay below. Ninjago was known to have earthquakes, but the damage here seemed extensive and oddly concentrated in a particular area. Laurie could see it now, a gaping hole in the center of everything. The pillars rose up closer to her now, an ornate sculpture crumbling in the beautiful starlight. She knew exactly where she was now, but she could not decide if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Ouroboros," she barely whispered, the word rolling off her tongue and hanging in the still air. Her mother had told her about the Lost City of Ouroboros. It was a place of pure legend, something many archaeologists sought after. Yet, here it was and Laurie was standing in the middle of it. _If it's just sitting out in the middle of the desert, why has no one else found it yet?_ The girl reached down and picked up a loose section of rock, gripping the cool object in her hand. Laurie's skin prickled with nerves and chill as she became aware of the temperature around her once more. She really needed to find some place to sleep, but it could wait for a little while longer. This was the discovery of the century!

The stone in her hand was solid as she gripped it carefully, limping towards the huge abyss that gazed upwards. Maybe the city _had_ been ravaged by a sudden earthquake. It seemed like nothing else could have done so much damage. _For an ancient city, the architecture seemed to hold up pretty well_. Laurie gazed down into the darkened crater, straining her eyes in an attempt to see the bottom. She quickly gave up, realizing that the task would have been just as difficult in the middle of broad daylight. Curious though, she tossed the stone in her hand downwards, waiting to hear the soft echo of it reaching the end; though it never did.

"That's really deep," she concluded, shoving her hands into the pockets of her pants and turning around slowly. It would not be a good idea to accidentally fall down there. A swift gust of wind caused Laurie to wrap her arms around herself, regretting the fact that she did not have a jacket. It had been on her list of things to purchase, but only before going to the Birchwood Forest. Now it seemed like she would never get the opportunity to search there. A building that looked to be part of an arena caught her attention and Laurie approached it as quickly as she could, feeling the skin around her left ankle swelling. Vertical bars ran along the entrance to what appeared to be a holding area; probably a place where prisoners were kept before releasing them into a battle. Ancient societies always seemed to be entertained by others fighting to death. It was kind of disturbing.

There was no getting inside though. The structure stood firm and Laurie could not squeeze between the bars to get inside. It would have been perfect, the stone walls protecting her from the cold, slowly releasing the heat it had absorbed throughout the day. She could only think of one thing left to do and it involved a lot more hope than survival skills. Sand was everywhere of course, and she was going to have to try and use it to her advantage.

Minutes stretched on as Laurie painfully repeated the process of kneeling and collecting sand into a large pile. The gritty material covered her sweating arms and face, but there was nothing else to do. She had to at least try and make it through the night. Managing to get to her feet, the girl threw her backpack down on to the pile, watching as much of the sand displaced, leaving a large indent in the middle. Helping it along, Laurie carefully stepped into the center of the pile and pushed most of the sand outwards with her injured foot, wincing slightly in the process. She was like a wild dog, circling around an area of tall grass to flatten it. Feeling a harsh shiver rack her body, the teenager knelt down, feeling a painful throb in her ankle. All she could do now was try and get some sleep.

While praying that she would make it through the next morning.

As if to remind her of the predicament she was in, a loud growl sounded from her abdomen. Sighing, Laurie placed her knapsack down before laying her head on it. The makeshift pillow was not very comfortable, but it would have to do. This was not a five star hotel after all. Sparse warmth that the sand had collected throughout its day in the sun managed to soothe the teenager slightly and provided a slightly raised barrier that protected her from some of the wind. "Goodnight me," she mumbled to herself, before finally closing her eyes.

* * *

**Okay, quick summary of what's happening:**

**1). The Overlord has taken over Ninjago. (Obviously.)  
2). Everything is pretty copacetic. (Oh my gosh...do people even say that anymore? I'm dating myself. o.o)  
3). The Great Devourer was never defeated. (Hence the distant screeching.)**

**The more you know. Thanks for reading, so you next time. :)**


	4. Fear

**Happy Wednesday! I keep forgetting what day of the week it is. I really need to get some more sleep. -_-  
****Thanks to my FF sister, 17blanceri, for helping me name my littlest character in this chapter.**

**To clear up confusion before it arises, this is back in the "Overlord Timeline".**

* * *

Chapter Four: Fear

"Don't you just close your eyes on me like that! What are gonna do, make yourself comfortable and take a frickin' nap?" The harsh voice continued to drone on and she opened her eyes, appeasing the rage-filled stranger. Short, black hair hugged her jaw line and muddy green eyes were dangerously narrowed. "That's more like it. You don't barge into _my_ camp and just settle in like you belong here because you don't!" Pulling the hood of her cloak further down, obscuring her face deeper in the shadows, she heard the angry girl protest further. "Don't act like you can ignore me either! I don't know who you _think_ you are, but the world doesn't revolve around you!" The hood was thrown back off her head, the black haired girl right in her face. "What was your name again, punk?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, she narrowed her one visible eye in response. "Elizabeth," she answered curtly, now stretching out on the deflated bean bag chair she had spotted when she had entered the decaying building. This girl had not let up on the questions or the yelling since Adam had returned with her in tow. Despite the barrage of questions and insults, she felt safe in this place; a feeling she had not felt in quite a long time. Of course, it was best not to get too comfortable. Being on the move was always a better plan of action.

"Leave her alone, Aurelia," Adam sighed, grabbing a bottle of water from a pile of supplies in the corner of the darkened room. He sprawled out on the lumpy sofa, avoiding the loose springs that had jutted out from the fading cushions. Lumps of sparse foam spilled from the gashes in the furniture, littering the already cluttered floor. "She was running away from the ninja earlier. Maybe she just needs to take a little snooze. Heaven knows I'm beat and I've barely done anything today." He unscrewed the thin, plastic cap from the bottle and took a big gulp of the water. "You don't always gotta be so hard on everyone. She's obviously clean. No purple eyes. No grey skin. She's one of us." He shot Elizabeth and wide grin and raised the bottle like he was toasting her.

This was practically the apocalypse and he wanted her to just let strangers into their already established home? "I don't care if she's 'one of us'", Aurelia hissed, scooping an old DVD box up off of the floor and pegging it at the easy-going man. He deflected it with a wave of his hand and laughed slightly before returning to his beverage. "She doesn't belong here. You said the ninja were chasing her? They must have had a good reason." Seeing Elizabeth ignore her and turn away, Aurelia gave an angry growl, grabbing one side of the bean bag chair and lifting it quickly. The cloaked girl tumbled off the other end, falling onto the floor. "No need to get comfortable anyways. You're leaving now. We'll give you a bottle of water and a can of food and you can be on your way."

A surge of anger seemed to blossom in Elizabeth's mind and she jumped to her feet. The smirk on Aurelia's face was absolutely infuriating. She surged forward, grabbing the bossy girl by the front of her shirt, the crimson material balled up between her fingers. "I didn't _ask_ to come here," the red head growled through clenched teeth, forcing Aurelia back into a wall. There was a strong pounding in her head, a cold sensation rising up her left arm. _You need to calm down_, her thoughts protested. It felt as if her body were moving of its own accord as she threw the raven haired girl to the floor.

"Whoa, let's all just get a grip!" Adam was on his feet in seconds, pinning the newcomer back against the wall with a strong forearm. Elizabeth tried to fight against him, her eyes locked on Aurelia who was unsteadily getting to her feet. Disoriented, the dauntless girl rushed back towards Elizabeth, but Adam held her back at an arm's length. "We are not doing this right now," he yelled, glaring daggers at his friend who quickly backed off. The older man then turned his dark grey eyes on Elizabeth who seemed to have calmed down. "I'll have none of that here. If that's how you're gonna act, I'll gladly show you the door." The red head nodded quickly, visible eye looking remorseful. With that, Adam released the new girl and watched as she sank to her knees.

It had all been so impulsive. There had been no need to attack Aurelia, but she had anyways. She had just been so mad, so fueled by rage. _Keep your cool. You don't want it to get any worse_. "I-I'm so sorry," she apologized, glancing over at Aurelia who now stood behind Adam. "I don't know what came over me, really! I'm not normally like that, I swear!" _You need to find him. You need his help_. "If I can even find him," she mumbled under her breath. "If he's even still himself."

"What are you babbling on about?" questioned Aurelia, sharp malice in her voice. She watched the girl shake her head back and forth, as if in a daze, before staying quiet. Adam rested his left hand just above his hip, keeping his elbow in front of Aurelia. "You don't need to be so protective," she complained, pushing past the man. "I can take care of myself, Adam." Aurelia approached Elizabeth who was still on the ground, looking sympathetic and a little frightened. With the corners of her thin lips tugging up into a small smile, the girl sent a hard kick to Elizabeth's side and stood with her arms crossed over her chest. "Now we're even, you little witch."

Strong hands gripped her shoulders, pulling her back roughly. Aurelia lost her footing and stumbled as Adam threw her onto the rotting sofa. "That was uncalled for," he chastised, taking the DVD box she had thrown at him earlier and smacked her on the top of the head. "You may think you can take care of yourself, but you're only fifteen, Aurelia. You act more like a spoiled child than a level-headed adult like you claim to be." She wrinkled her nose at him, sticking out her tongue. "Yet you continue to prove my point," the man sighed, rubbing his temples.

She wrapped her arms around her abdomen, breathing hard. _Don't get mad. Try and stay calm_. Both hands clenched into tight fists and the cooling sensation rose a little higher, licking at her left shoulder. Elizabeth closed her eyes, trying to regulate her breathing and fight the new bout of fury that was rising within her. She thought of her brother, back before the battle that had changed everything. His kind smile and mischievous habits. The way his emerald eyes would light up when he was excited. Elizabeth opened her eyes and nearly screamed, seeing a small girl sitting on the ground in front of her, just staring. "Brynn, you scared me," the teenager breathed, leaning her head back against the wall.

Tilting her head to the side, like a dog, the girl gave a small smile. "That's not my name," she laughed lightly, bright blonde hair falling over her right shoulder. She hugged a very ratty stuffed animal in her arms and, upon further inspection, Elizabeth discerned it to be a dragon. "I'm Constance, but you can call me Connie if ya really want to." The smile widened into a full grin and the small girl held out the dragon in her arms, placing it in Elizabeth's lap. "That's Finn and he likes you."

_Brynn? I don't even know a Brynn_. The name had just sort of materialized in her head out of nowhere. "S-Sorry, didn't mean to call you by the wrong name. It's nice to meet you, Connie. I'm Elizabeth." She lifted the dragon off of her lap and held it delicately in her shaking hands. The fur on the animals had long since been worn away, a few dirty tufts here and there. The soft mesh that held the stuffing inside was visible and had been sewn up in a few areas. All of the dragon's plush teeth were bent to one side, most likely from the weight of the girl sleeping on top of it. "So, you said this is Finn? He kind of reminds me of a dragon my…uh…friend had once." The girl nodded vigorously, almost entranced with Elizabeth's words. "I'm glad Finn likes me though. I wouldn't want a dragon as an enemy."

"I'm gonna call you, Liz," Connie giggled, reaching out to take her stuffed animal back. Elizabeth obliged her, handing Finn back over to his owner. "You're so lucky you've seen a dragon, Liz. I've always wanted to see a dragon. I read about them in my books all the time." She let her warm, brown eyes focus on the new girl for a moment before the conversation took another turn. "How old are you, Liz? You don't look as old as my brother, but you could be. I'm five and my brother is twenty-three." Connie swiveled her body around to see Adam and Aurelia arguing with one another before turning back to face Elizabeth. "The yelly girl is Aurelia. She's fifteen. I bet you're about Aurelia's age. You look like you'd be her age. How old are you, Liz?"

Connie sure had a lot to say. She felt a little bombarded with all of the information she was being given. So she was Adam's younger sister by a significant amount of years. Since the two were related, she was beginning to wonder how Aurelia fit in with them. "I'm eighteen," Elizabeth answered, shifting uncomfortably under the small girl's gaze. It almost felt like she could see right through her. "So, um, your brother seems like a nice guy. He saved me earlier and brought me here."

"Adam is the best!" Connie giggled, throwing her dragon in the air and falling backwards before catching him. She kicked her legs in the air wildly, her fleece pajama pants bouncing around her ankles. "He's the greatest brother ever." Her eyes rested on her older sibling who now noticed her presence, leaving Aurelia on the sofa. "We were just talking about you, brother," Connie announced, holding Finn out towards the older boy. He gave a crooked smile before grabbing the dragon with one hand and scooping his sister up with his other arm.

"You were just talking about me, huh?" He flipped Connie upside down, her legs resting over his shoulders. The bottom of her shirt fell, revealing her pale stomach and Adam leaned down, blowing a raspberry on her exposed skin. Connie giggled wildly, throwing her hands up in defeat as her brother gently laid her back down on the floor, handing the stuffed animal back to her. "I hope you only had good things to say." His eyes lingered on Elizabeth who still sat against the wall, her face an emotionless mask.

Connie pushed herself back up into a sitting position. "Uh-huh, only good things!" She was brushing the back of Finn's head with her fingers as she talked. "I met and talked with Liz. Liz was telling me that you saved her and it didn't surprise me." Both eyes sparkled in the very dim light as she locked eyes with Adam who gave a small smile. "I know my brother is the best because he is gonna help make the world better again."

"Are you hungry, Constance? I bet if you ask Aurelia really nicely, she'll go get you some food."

Without a word, the young girl bounced away, towards the sulking teenager, waving good-bye as she left. Adam's gaze settled solely on Elizabeth, her knees pulled up to her chest and head bowed down low. She looked broken and frail, the hue of her hair the brightest thing about her. Giving a soft sigh, the older boy took a seat next to the mysterious girl and placed a reassuring hand on her left shoulder. Elizabeth shook violently, the flinch overwhelming her entire body as she lifted her head, visible eye wide with fear. "Take it easy," Adam coaxed, removing his hand. "You're safe, just take a deep breath and try to relax." He watched her shoulders slump in relief as she spent a short amount of time just inhaling and exhaling. "You seem a little on edge. Well…more on edge than you were when I first brought you."

"My brother was supposed to save the world," she said slowly, focusing down on the floor in front of her. "He just wasn't strong enough and now he's dead." Tears were beginning to pool now and she took a deep breath, forcing them away. "You wouldn't have to 'make the world better again' if we were more prepared for the fight; If we were more prepared for the Overlord."

The hand on her shoulder was back and she involuntarily slapped it away. Adam gave her a stern look. "Who are you really then?" She refused to look at him, finding the straps on her black gloves much more interesting. "What's with the eye patch?" Running her fingers through her short, unruly hair, Elizabeth turned her gaze up to the ceiling and hummed an unfamiliar tune underneath of her breath. "Why won't you talk to me? Why so mysterious?"

"The less you know, the better it is on you," Elizabeth replied, her tone devoid of life. "If they come and find you, the ninja, and you don't know anything, maybe they'll let you go." She knew it was a lie. They never let anyone go. The Overlord wished to rule the world and that could not be fully accomplished until everyone was consumed by darkness. "My eye is just a little worse for wear. It was badly injured in a fight and I didn't want to have to look at it in a reflective surface. I wish I could tell you more, but it's risky. Just know that I want to leave as soon as possible, for all of your sakes." She got to her feet, pulling the hood back over her head. "Do you have a bathroom?"

Everything about her was just so odd and clouded in secrecy. He felt as if he was getting a better picture on who she was though. "Yeah," Adam replied, pointing towards the doorway across the room. "It's just through there."

Without a moment of hesitation, she was through the doorway, closing the creaking wooden door behind her. A single bulb hung from the ceiling of the small room and she tugged on the flimsy string that was attached to it. Buzzing to light, the dim bulb cast a soft glow throughout the room as Elizabeth reached to turn on the sink. Chilled water sprang from the faucet, some of the stream splashing up and out of the sink, sprinkling on her shirt. Groaning slightly, Elizabeth removed her gloves and reached behind her head, untying the knot that secured the eye patch. Cupping both hands together, she collected the water before splashing it on to her clammy face. With a distraught expression, she looked at her reflection in the cracked mirror.

A blue eye and a purple eye stared back at her.

She raised her left hand, frowning at the grey hue of her skin. Rolling up the sleeves on her shirt, she compared both arms. The right was pale, but still normal. The left was an ashen hue of pure evil. Grey. Everything always became grey. It was getting worse, much worse. The anger earlier had helped spread it. She needed to find the one person who could help her. He had managed to quell it before, so he could do it again. The icy grip of fear clawed at her heart. What if he was already gone? She had to go look for him nonetheless. It had to be soon though, before she was completely overtaken.

If that happened, there was no going back.

* * *

**Goodness, this is my favorite part to write about: the "Overlord Timeline". I love it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.**

**Update next Wednesday may be a little late (like maybe Thursday afternoon or something) because I have a ton of exams next week so I'll be studying a lot. Thanks for reading and have a great day. :3**


	5. Delusions

**Happy Wednesday! I had so much fun writing this chapter. Like, _way_ too much fun. C:**

**I'm calling this the "Happy Ending Timeline" because it's a world where everything ended up perfectly and peaceful.**

* * *

Chapter Five: Delusions

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Laurie jumped slightly at the sudden noise and sat up quickly in her bed, throwing a patchwork quilt off of her body. When had she gotten home? Had she fallen asleep at the museum? Grabbing her head in both hands, the girl inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself down. She was tired. That was it. All of the days seemed to be blurring together anyways. After she had gotten home she must have just taken a nap. Glancing down, Laurie noticed she was still dressed in her khaki pants and white, button up shirt. She really _had_ just fallen asleep after work then. "Honey, are you doing alright?" came a voice from the other side of the wooden door. "Can I come in?"

"I'm fine," Laurie replied, finally coming to grips with her surroundings. "What is it, mother?"

The door opened with a slight creak and Misako poked her head around the edge of the door slightly, glasses reflecting the light shining from Laurie's bed side lamp. "I wanted to tell you that dinner is ready if you're up to eating." She noticed the quizzical look on her daughter's face. "Are you sure you're feeling better? You still look a little pale."

_What?_ "I told you, I'm fine, mother," Laurie stated plainly, watching as the grey haired woman hurried over to the bed and placed the back of a hand on her forehead. Without thinking, the red head slapped Misako's hand away forcefully. "What are you doing? I'm fine," she practically shouted the last word through clenched teeth before she realized how unreasonable she was being. "S-Sorry, I just…I'm confused and frustrated." She felt like she was in a dream, trying to make sense of what was happening around her. "Why are you so worried about me?"

"Honey, just lie down and rest," Misako frowned, rubbing her daughter's back softly. "You passed out while at work today. Your boss called an ambulance because you were convulsing." The aging woman watched Laurie's eyes widen indefinitely. "The paramedics who came said you had a really high fever that seemed to come out of nowhere, it caused you to have a seizure." Laurie opened her mouth to say something, but her mother held a hand up to stop her. "Everything has been taken care of, so don't worry about anything. You don't have to go into work tomorrow and you don't feel as warm as you did earlier, so you're getting better."

None of what her mother was saying made any sense. She had not passed out. She had just taken a nap. _I would have remembered if I had a seizure, right?_ "M-Mother, that's not what happened. I was just sleeping because I didn't have any more scheduled tours and…no one was around to tell me I couldn't." With kind eyes, Misako just nodded gently, pulling the quilt back up towards Laurie. The teenager sighed suddenly. Her mother did not believe a word she said. It was obvious on her face. "I'll just stay in here and rest," Laurie settled on, wrapping her arms around herself. "I-I'm not really too hungry anyways."

"Alright then, Laurie. I'll be back to check on you a little later."

The door squeaked shut as Misako exited the room and Laurie flopped back down on her pillow, pulling the quilt up to her chin. She had only been taking a nap, right? Placing the back of her right hand against her forehead, the girl felt for a fever, but she did not feel warm. "You aren't able to check yourself for a fever anyways, stupid," Laurie mumbled to herself, focusing her eyes on the ceiling of her bedroom. It did not seem to make sense though: a sudden seizure and a fever? She had not even felt remotely ill earlier when she was giving the tour to the elementary school class. Something just felt off, but Laurie could not place a finger on it. She closed her eyes briefly, embracing the darkness.

* * *

_There was the sound of machinery groaning loudly in the background, mixed with the idle chatter of people. She attempted to open her eyes, but decided against it, noticing a blinding blue light filling the area around her. A soft groan played off of her lips as she went to sit up. The voices ceased, yet the machines continued to hum and work in the background. Something else slowly added to the cacophony of noise: the sound of static. Like a television that was unable to pick up a signal, the sound seemed to grow louder, sending an involuntary chill up her spine. Everything seemed really surreal and, even though she could not open her eyes wide enough to see where she was, the atmosphere felt heavy with dread and hopelessness._

_ A voice broke through the background noise, demanding attention. Her blood felt like it had turned to ice. The voice, she recognized it, but she felt too terrified to speak or even attempt to open her eyes yet again. This was bad. This was worse than bad. It was horrifying. She felt her muscles tremble slightly, eliciting a slight chuckle from the familiar individual. When she thought the situation she was in could not become more frightening, another voice spoke. Yet another voice she recognized. This one seemed to shock her even more, sending a strong pang of fear jabbing into her heart. As suddenly as the environment around her seemed to become clear, it all faded away into oblivion._

* * *

"Laurie? Laurie, can you hear me? Wake up!"

A deep breath filled her lungs as her eyes shot open. The beating of her heart was intense and Laurie could hear it in her ears. A person she was not expecting to see loomed over her bedside, their expression a mixture of concern and exhaustion. "Lloyd," the girl gasped practically jumping out of the bed and tackling her brother to the ground. His slight advantage in height and weight helped him keep steady as his sister wrapped her arms around him. "I found you and you're so big now! What happened?"

He narrowed his emerald eyes, gently grabbing his sister's shoulders and guiding her back towards her bed where she sat down reluctantly. "Yeah, you're not making any sense. Mom was right; whatever happened to you earlier really jumbled your thoughts."

_I found you? You're so big now? What kind of weird questions were those?_ She shook her head slightly, trying to collect herself before she spoke again. No need to make other people worry about her. Laurie just felt like there were odd thoughts crossing her mind; thoughts that did not seem to fit. "Sorry, yeah, I'm not making a lot of sense right now." She could feel the aura of anxiety seemingly emanating from her younger brother. "No reason to worry though, because with a little rest I'll be perfectly fine."

"You didn't sound perfectly fine while you were resting," Lloyd commented, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms over his chest. He now realized how fast his own heart was beating. It had sounded like his sister was being attacked or something while he was out in the other room, visiting with their parents. "The screams were really loud, Laurie. They immediately caught my attention. I thought someone was trying to kill you or kidnap you or something." He watched his sister grow a little paler with his words and he sighed, moving to sit next to her before he continued. "It just…it sounded like whatever you were dreaming about was terrible."

Had she even fallen asleep? "I-I just closed my eyes for a moment was all," the red head replied, fiddling with the collar on her polo shirt. At the soonest opportunity, she really needed to change into something more comfortable. "I wasn't sleeping at all; I was just trying to gather my thoughts." Yeah, that was all that had happened. Laurie had closed her eyes, trying to figure out why her mother kept insisting that she had had a seizure and then Lloyd had been shouting at her mere seconds later. No sleeping. No nothing. Pulling her knees up to her chest, the teenager gave a soft sigh. "You don't believe me though, do you?"

Lloyd shook his head back and forth, a few strands if blonde hair falling down into his face. He blew them away, but frowned as they just fell back down. "Unless you shout and whimper for no reason while you're 'collecting your thoughts', then you were sleeping. You were dreaming and…it sounded really scary." Lloyd could see how scared his sister looked now, slowly pushing herself backwards to rest her back against the headboard of her bed. "Do you want to know what you were saying?" the Spinjitzu Master tentatively.

Did she _really _want to know what she had been saying? Laurie glanced around the room nervously, feeling an unprecedented chill ran up along her skin. She really should not ask about it. She had not been sleeping anyways, she was absolutely sure of it. There was something, an urge, in the back of her mind that pushed her, compelled her to want to know. Exhaling loudly, Laurie simply gave her brother a nod and tried to mentally prepare herself for anything that he could possibly say.

"You kept saying that you would rather die."

Her blood ran like sluggish ice water throughout the entirety of her body. "R-Really?" she practically squeaked, the words barely escaping her tight, dry throat. Laurie knew she complained about this new and peaceful world she lived in a lot, but wanting to die? She definitely did not want to do that. Maybe all of her negative thinking about her current life was impacting her subconscious in ways that she could have never imagined. "Did I say anything else?" Honestly, she did want to know the answer, but her curiosity was getting the better of her. _I mean, I wasn't even sleeping_.

Lloyd leaned back on his hands, avoiding direct eye contact with Laurie. He felt so nervous for his sister. If she was having dreams that sounded so terrible she could not even remember having them, then maybe they were just so intense her mind was blocking them out. "I'm really not so sure," he answered honestly. "Most of it was kind of just incoherent mumbling. You talked about us a lot: all of us. You wanted to protect something that I couldn't really understand and you would just rather die." He took in a deep breath and glanced over at Laurie who had her head buried in a pillow. "It's a lot to take in," Lloyd said gently, placing a reassuring hand on the top of Laurie's head. Her body heaved with a small sob and he retracted his hand quickly. "You know what? I'll go grab you a glass of water from the kitchen and come back. We can talk about what's going on with you then, alright?"

She felt the springs of the mattress bounce up as Lloyd stood and walked across the room, his footsteps slowly retreating. The unmistakable squeaking of her door sounded as he made his exit. A loud sniff ripped through the otherwise silent air. "I'm going crazy," Laurie cried to herself, hugging the pillow to her chest. The sound of her own voice felt oddly comforting in the moment and she wiped her nose indignantly with the back of her hand before continuing. "I fell asleep, but I didn't think I did. Then when I thought I actually _had_ taken a nap, I apparently had a seizure." Reaching up with a shaking hand, she attempted to feel her forehead once more. Cool, clammy skin greeted her and Laurie gave an enraged cry, giving the pillow in her lap a hard punch. "What's wrong with me?"

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"You don't have to knock," the teenager replied tiredly, laying down on her right side, pillow in a firm embrace. "I knew you'd be coming back so there's no reason to knock again." The brass doorknob turned slowly and Misako entered the room slowly, firmly closing the door behind her. "Oh, hi, mother. I'm still not very hungry if that's what you wanted to check on; just waiting on a glass of water right now." From behind her round spectacles, Misako looked down her daughter, eyes filled with urgency and concern. "What's that look for? I'm sorry if I scared you with the screaming or whatever, but everything is under control right now. Just a bad dream I guess."

She stayed silent and fingered the braid that lay draped over her left shoulder before approaching. The bed sank a little lower under her weight as she reached out to touch Laurie's forehead. "You still don't feel very warm," she frowned, removing her hand from her daughter and placing it in her lap. "You said you want a glass of water though? I can go get you one if you want me to."

Laurie waved her mother's comment away and blinked slowly. "No need to. Lloyd already went out to get it and he should be back any second now."

The hand was back, firmly planted against her forehead. "You said you were screaming, honey?" the woman inquired nonchalantly, flipping her hand over to check the girl's temperature. Misako could feel a light sheen of perspiration across her daughter's skin. "Did you have a nightmare or something? Do you want to talk about it?" With glistening eyes, Laurie blinked away stinging tears before shaking her head back and forth. "You know, if you want I can take you to see a doctor tomorrow since you don't have to go into work. Your dad has to teach some classes here at the monastery, but I'm free to take you."

"I don't need to go to a doctor, mother," Laurie huffed, rolling her eyes. All she needed was a night to just sleep everything off peacefully. Tomorrow when she woke up, she would feel better. Her thoughts clearer. Her state of health improved. "I'm just going to get a good night's sleep. I'll go to bed soon too, right after Lloyd gets back and we talk a little bit. He seems really worried, but I don't want him to feel that way." Laurie tucked a few strands of red hair behind her left ear. "He's been through too much in his life to worry about what's wrong with other people. I'll set his mind at ease and then get some proper rest." She gave her mother a forced smile before hiding the gesture behind the pillow. "Promise," the former ninja finished, her voice muffled by the object in front of her.

Misako stood and headed for the door. "Yes, just try and rest for the night, Laurie. I know you said that you don't need to, but I'm taking you to see a doctor tomorrow." Her hand wavered over the knob as she heard her daughter move behind her.

She sat up straight, a plume of anger slowly growing within her. "I don't need to see a doctor, _mother_. I told you I'm going to be fine. Just wait until I talk everything over with Lloyd and then-"

"You're going to a doctor," Misako stated curtly, her voice raised. She refused to turn around and Laurie only felt her heart drop into her stomach as her mother opened the door. The red head could feel her heart ricocheting wildly in her chest as she mentally pleaded for her mother to stop talking. Laurie did not like where this conversation was headed. "Maybe the seizure affected you more than the paramedics initially thought." Misako sneaked a quick glance back at her oldest child before saying the one sentence that pushed Laurie over the edge.

"Lloyd didn't come home for a visit tonight."

* * *

**Oh my goodness I loved this. *evil laughter* I loved writing this so much. XD**

**So I will see you guys with another update next week. Until then...see ya!**


	6. Confusion

**It's Wednesday and I can take a rest and not have to study my butt off like I have been for the past two days. Feels good.**

**"Devourer Timeline" yay.**

* * *

Chapter Six: Confusion

_Running._

_ Buildings flew past her, the neon lights practically blinding. At first, she did not recognize where she was. She had not made it this far in her journey yet. The city was a good ways away, at the end of the desert. Her legs carried her down the street and her breathing was labored. Sneaking a glance back behind her, she found nothing, but uneasiness filled the air around her. Why was she running? Why was she here? There were sounds of metal hitting metal all around her and she ducked underneath something she could not see, keeping her pace steady. What was happening?_

_ "Over here," called out a strong voice. She glanced up, noticing a person she had not previously seen, running across the rooftops, keeping pace with her. He was clothed in red, his eyes full of worry. She opened her mouth to say something, but decide against it. She needed her oxygen for breathing, not speaking. Besides, she did not know this person. Then again, she felt like she _did_ know him. "You're almost there! Keep going! We'll get you out of this!" The familiar stranger's words of encouragement sent a rush of adrenaline through her body and she surged forward, feeling the wind against her face._

_ Something halted her progression through the city. A strong force wrapped itself around her body, pulling her backwards. Feeling her breathing quicken, she glanced around, noticing nothing around her. The invisible force was unrelenting as she struggled against it, feeling her feet slide backwards along the dark asphalt of the street. "H-Help," she shouted, looking for the man on the rooftop, but he was no longer there. "Somebody, please!" She was more scared of where this thing was going to take her than the fact she had no idea what was going on._

_ "Don't worry," said another voice. She glanced around, frantically searching for the person who this voice now belonged to. It sounded very familiar and her heart ached terribly at the words. The fear and uneasiness seemed to drain from her body as she just gave up. The voice was telling her she should not worry and it sounded like it knew what it was talking about. "We _will_ find you and we _will_ get you."_

* * *

Laurie could feel her body trembling terribly as she finally regained consciousness. The shaking was radiating pain from her left ankle and she gritted her teeth against it. She remembered now, tripping the night prior. Continuing to hope that the bone was not actually broken, the teenager dragged herself up off of the sandy ground and into a sitting position. Every muscle in her body continued to convulse and Laurie inhaled deeply. Why as she shaking so badly? As her eyes scanned across the sand hopping about around her, the walls of her makeshift shelter quickly trickling downwards, she realized something. She was not shaking.

The ground was.

Fumbling around for her knapsack, Laurie struggled to get a proper grip on the straps. Something rumbled in a close proximity to the city and she felt her body freeze up on her. _No, snap out of it. You want to get out of this? Then move!_ Finally managing to sling the knapsack over her shoulders, Laurie jumped to her feet, stumbling forward. _Oh yeah…my ankle._ How was she going to move quick enough to find shelter from this earthquake? Holding her breath as she decided to just try and make a run for it, Laurie winced as she barely made any progress across the dry sand. She had really messed up her ankle. There was no doubt about that now.

Muffled growling and screeching erupted from somewhere Laurie could not pinpoint. The sounds seemed to echo out of the large hole that sat nestled in the middle of the ancient city. "What in Ninjago is that?" the girl barely whispered, feeling an unwanted tear slowly slip down her pale face. Without being consciously aware of it, Laurie wiped her face with the back of her hand, mixing sand with the salty liquid. The sound grew louder and the shaking underneath of her body began to become more violent. Feeling immobilized by her injury, Laurie just stayed down in the sand. What else could she do?

The ground beneath her began to rise suddenly, throwing the girl off balance. Using her hands, she grabbed on to whatever was in front of her, attempting to keep herself upright. Exhaling in relief, Laurie opened her eyes, not realizing she had actually closed them to begin with. A smooth and cold surface was what lay underneath of her hands; the color of the object a sickly green color. Her heart seemed to cease beating in her chest as she recognized what she was holding. Scales. Very large scales. Glancing over to her right slowly, Laurie realized she was very high in the air, the ancient city below her slowly shrinking in size. And she was holding onto a snake. A very large snake.

All of the aspects of her current situation seemed to overload her brain. Laurie felt incapable of actually processing what was happening around her. In a surge of anger, the godly serpent threw its head back quickly. Laurie, terrified of the creature, relinquished her hold on it, thankful to be away from it. The air around her whipped by quickly as the magnitude of the creature she had held on to became apparent. It was the largest thing she had ever seen in her life. Her mother would have loved to take a look at. Then something else became apparent to the red head. _I'm still falling…_

"There it is! Try and aim for the weak spot!"

A voice erupted from somewhere close, barely audible over the roaring of the serpent. Laurie closed her eyes, feeling really tired and finally noticing how weak she was. When was the last time she had eaten something? As if on cue, her stomach let out a horrendous noise and started burning. Her vision wavered slightly and she felt lightheaded. Laurie had been operating on adrenaline since she had been awakened by the sudden "earthquake". Now it was all starting to wear off. "Wait, look at that. There was someone up there! Can you get them? They're falling!"

_Yup, I'm still falling._

The sound of a revved engine erupted from seemingly nowhere and Laurie felt her back hit something with a great force, the air expelling from her lungs quickly. "Oops, sorry about that," apologized a voice. Through extremely blurry vision, the girl could only make out the fact that the person who had her had closely cut hair. "You're gonna be okay now, I promise." She tried to open her mouth to thank this person. To tell him that she appreciated his help, but Laurie could feel her consciousness slipping again. The stranger gave a nervous sound and gripped her shoulder with a strong hand. "Whoa, hang on, okay? Laurie?"

* * *

"She's okay, right? She fell pretty hard into your jet."

The sounds around her were beginning to grow clearer and Laurie tried to sit up. Something guided her back down and she opened her eyes to see a guy clothed in red resting both hands on either of her shoulders. "Take it easy, okay? We had a friend of ours kind of look over you and you're a little worse for wear." That voice. It sounded really familiar. "What were you doing in the desert in the first place?"

"K-Kai?" her lips parted gently as she said the first word that came to her mind. It seemed to still the atmosphere around them. "I was just walking around. I-I'm looking for my brother and my father." A strong cough racked her body and she felt her shoulders heave violently. Someone else, a guy clothed in blue, fumbled for a glass of water that was sitting idly on a table nearby and shakily handed it to Laurie. She took the cup carefully and propped herself up on her right elbow, gulping the drink down in seconds. "Where am I?"

The red guy continued to stare, his light brown eyes wide. "How did you know my name?"

_What?_ Laurie blinked slowly, trying to wrap her head around the stranger's words. "I don't know your name. I've never even met you before." Her tone was soft and quiet. The blue guy gave his partner a nervous glance before resting his hazel eyes back on the red head. "Yeah, I don't know either of you, but…" Her ice blue eyes fell back upon the guy with the auburn hair. "You knew _my_ name. How did you know that?"

His mouth opened and he stuttered nonsense for a moment before collecting himself. "I do _not_ know your name. This is the first time we've ever spoken: right now." The attention being solely on him was usually comforting, but at this time it felt very unsettling. He did not know this girl. He had never seen her before in his entire life. "Yeah, you and me, we're complete strangers, but you seem to know my friend over here," he smirked lightly, slinging an arm around his brother's shoulders.

She did not know him. She did not know either of them. "No, I don't know your friend," Laurie stated plainly, watching as the disgruntled brunet shook his friend off of him. There was something about him though, something that Laurie could not place her finger on. A tinge of heat dotted her cheeks and she reached up to feel her face. She was blushing? Why was she blushing? "Like I said before, I don't know _either_ of you, which still doesn't explain how you knew my name." Laurie could see the frustration in his eyes and he opened his mouth quickly to protest. As quick as lightning. _Lightning_. She shook the random thought from her head as she cut the guy off before he could speak. "I don't care what you say now because I know what you said. I _heard_ it. You said my name before I passed out."

"There's no use talking about this anymore. This is Jay and I'm Kai," the red guy interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Of course you already knew that," Kai mumbled underneath of his breath. "And you are, who now?"

Her dry throat screamed in protest as she answered. "I'm Laurie." Both eyes scanned the room slowly, trying to figure out her surroundings. The room they were in was not large. Maybe enough room for two or three other people to fit comfortably. It almost appeared to be like a room someone could rent at an inn. _Wait a second_. "Where exactly am I?" The structure of the building just seemed familiar, like she had recently seen something like it.

"We brought you to Jamanakai Village," Jay answered, a large smile on his face. "It was the closest place to us and you really needed someone to look at you, especially your ankle." He watched as she propped herself up further, stretching her neck to try and look at her legs. "You won't be able to see it from underneath your pants, weirdo." Laurie's brow furrowed in annoyance and frustration at his words, but he only shrugged. "Don't worry about it though. Our friend took a look at it and patched it up. I wouldn't walk on it for a little while if I were you though. The sprain is pretty bad."

So the bone had not broken. Thank goodness. "Jamanakai Village?" she asked, resting her head in her hands for a brief moment. "I was traveling _away_ from here. I-I didn't want to come back. Now I have to get back out to the desert and-"

"You're not gonna go anywhere for a while," Kai butted in. His expression seemed almost grave as he continued. "You're really dehydrated and, like Jay said, you should try and stay off your feet for a little bit." He could see the defeat plain on Laurie's face and felt somewhat bad for her. Of course, she was the one who had been out by herself in the desert to begin with. "I don't think you realize how lucky you are to be alive right now. That fall you took could have seriously injured you, possibly even killed you. If _that _hadn't done you in, the Devourer would have."

She felt her eyes widen. "Whoa, wait a second. You said the 'Devourer'?" her voice rose an octave as she pronounced the last word in the question. Kai nodded in response and Laurie just held up a hand. "As in the '_Great_ Devourer'?" Once more, the spiky haired brunet only gave a nod as a response, his expression turning to one of slight confusion. No, this could not actually be happening. It was just a fairy tale. It was just a thing she had read about in some of her mother's mythology books. "The Great Devourer is just a myth. It's only a legend."

Jay felt his face fall slightly and he laid a hand down on the girl's shoulder as he spoke. "Well, that legend almost killed you today."

* * *

**Oh my gosh I'm going to take the longest nap ever when I get back from my Chemistry class later. -_-**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing and just being awesome. Yay. See you next week!**


	7. Searching

**Happy Wednesday. I have come to realize that almost all of the songs I have on my "writing playlist" that I listen to while I write are really old. Well, like 2004 and stuff. Anyways, Lucas belongs to my bro, Packerfan95. And don't forget it. XD**

**Back to the Overlord Timeline.**

* * *

Chapter Seven: Searching

Her legs buckled slightly, as if they were made of jelly, as she hurriedly backed up, gripping her head tightly in both hands. There was a small, frantic voice nearby shouting something. Breathing hard and keeping her eyes shut, she fell to a knee, trying to focus on something, anything, different than what had just plagued her. Light hands gripped her shoulders and shook her gently. "Liz, are you okay?" She recognized the voice now and felt some of the anxiety and confusion begin to drain from her body. "Uh…um…stay here, Liz, and I'll go get brother."

"Y-You don't have to," Elizabeth smiled, finally managing to pry her eyes open. The extremely dim light of the dilapidated apartment felt blinding, but the girl just blinked and breathed, readjusting to the somewhat familiar environment. Yes, the darkness. It was everywhere, omnipresent in every aspect of life now. So why had she seen something else for a brief moment? Why had she felt like she was somewhere else? "I'm okay, Connie, really," the red head reassured the small girl, resting a hand on top of Constance's own hand. "I just felt confused for a second. I didn't know where I was."

Slipping her small hand out from underneath Elizabeth's, Connie walked around and quickly sat down on the hardwood floor, crossing her legs underneath of her body. "Are you sure you're okay?" the young blonde asked, her brown eyes wide with concern. She watched as the older girl gave a small smile, her focus far away. Her heart pounded in her chest and she glanced around warily, looking to see if her brother or Aurelia were somewhere in the room with them. Maybe they would actually know what to do. "L-Liz, you're scaring me," Connie squeaked, poking a finger lightly underneath the red head's collar bone.

Elizabeth blinked rapidly and grabbed Constance's hand in her own, the grip tight. After hearing the small, strangled yelp from Adam's sister, she released the girl. "I-I'm so sorry," Elizabeth gasped, feeling both of her hands trembling. "Did I hurt you? Please tell me I didn't hurt you!" She felt so lost, so bewildered. The room around her was the camp that Adam had brought her back to. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind about that. She had just been talking with Constance, just for a few minutes, and then she was somewhere else: a small inn nestled into the mountainside settlement of Jamanakai Village. Kai and Jay had been there with her. She had been absolutely speechless, only managing to utter the red ninja's name before she was back, stumbling around in the apartment.

Opening and closing her hand slowly, Connie realized that nothing really hurt. She had been more scared of Elizabeth's erratic behavior. "No, I don't think you hurt me," the young blonde replied, looking up into her new friend's face. The one visible eye glistened, appearing to be on the verge of tears. "Don't cry, Liz," Connie sighed, placing a small hand on Elizabeth's cheek. "There's no reason to cry. I'm fine and you're fine too, right?" The question hung in the silent air for longer than Constance had anticipated. "Right?"

The gentle touch of Constance's hand was reassuring. Elizabeth gave a small smile and nodded. "I'm fine. I promise."

"Yeah, you sure looked fine to me," rang a harsh voice. Both girls turned to see Aurelia standing in the doorway that led to the kitchen, leaning against one of the walls. Her arms were crossed roughly over her chest, eyes staring daggers. Elizabeth stood up, her hand subconsciously wrapping its way around the dagger that rested within the pocket sewn into her cloak. As the grip around the wooden handle became apparent, Elizabeth immediately dropped it. Why was she acting so impulsive? A small smirk tugged at the edge of her mouth and she lowered her head to hide it. There was a small part of her that wished she could just be rid of the mouthy, raven haired girl. _It's getting worse,_ Elizabeth thought, tearing her thoughts away from the darkness. "And you still look fine," the green eyed girl stated sarcastically, slowly approaching.

She felt her stance widen slightly, an impulse that came with all of her training. "I wouldn't do anything too rash," Elizabeth spat, her eye narrowing. Her hands closed into tight fists without her consciously willing them to. A light touch on her lower back brought her out of her anger induced trance. Constance was peeking out from behind Elizabeth's back, her eyes pleading. Inhaling deeply, Elizabeth managed to calm herself down, now noticing a tingling sensation tickling at her left shoulder blade. "Like I told Connie, I'm fine," the red head stated plainly, throwing the hood of her cloak over her head. "Also, I'm leaving, so you should be happy, Aurelia."

"What? You can't leave, Liz," Connie's tone switched to one fear. "Y-You've only been here for a few days. If you leave now what if…what if…" A loud sniff ripped through the air and the young girl wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's waist, squeezing tight. "What if you never come back? A-Are you leaving forever, Liz?" Burying her steadily paling face into the material of the older girl's cloak, Connie started to cry. "Please don't leave forever. I-I don't wanna see you walking around all grey and stuff. P-Please don't leave forever."

_Well if that's what she's scared of then there's more of a reason to go_. Awkwardly, the teenager rubbed Constance's back. "No, I'm not leaving forever. I need to find someone, that's all." The embrace weakened and Adam's sister glanced up at Elizabeth, her tear streaked face evident. "Stop the crying, I'll be fine. I'll be back in absolutely no time, I promise you that." With that, the teenager gave Constance a pat on her shoulder. "I won't turn grey. I've been surviving out there for a pretty good amount of time on my own. I can take care of myself," Elizabeth smiled, giving the young girl a wink. Well, she hoped it looked like a wink and not just another blink.

"Where are you heading?" Aurelia inquired, her interest obviously piqued. "I mean, do you really have someone you need to go and find? I would have thought that your friends were all out of commission right now."

She felt her blood pumping hard, audible by her ear drums. Aurelia might have been snide and callous, but she was very smart. It seemed like she had pieced everything together. "I'm going to the Misty Forest, if you _must_ know." Not like Aurelia knew where that was anyways. She, herself, had only been there once and she was praying that she could remember the way. It might take her a little while to get there, but that was why she had to leave now. The journey could take a couple of days or so and Elizabeth was not sure how much longer she could ignore what was happening to her. _There's always the possibility of failure. He might not be the person he used to be_. _He might not help you._ No, there was no way he could have gotten caught or anything. If she had survived this long, then there was no doubt in her mind that he had too. "I'll be back soon, but don't wait up." Shooting Constance one final smile, Elizabeth took a deep breath and walked back out into the world that she loathed so much.

* * *

Shivering slightly and sneezing, she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. Waving her right hand out in front of her, she managed to clear some of the fog away from the path she was taking. This was ridiculous. Glancing around warily, Elizabeth continued down the path that had seen better days. It was clear to her that this way had been worn down by travelers, but clumps of wild grass and weeds were now beginning to reclaim the path. How long had it been since she had seen him last? Running gloved hands through her very short hair, she smirked. _That_ had been the last time they had seen each other.

She could remember it all clearly, the event still very traumatizing. A stone warrior had caught her by the hair, its grip unyielding. Everything kind of moved in slow motion after that. There was shouting from both her and him. The sound of a blade and then she was just free. Elizabeth had to admit, shorter hair was much easier to manage. A lot safer too. She kept it close to her scalp now, cutting it when she felt necessary with the dagger she kept with her. Once more, a shiver wracked her body and she pulled the cloak tighter around her. She'd been away from the apartment for two days now, almost three. "He's got to be here somewhere," she whispered to herself, feeling the stagnant water of the air seeping into her bones. He had left the city; that much she knew, so he would come here, right? "I hope he came here," Elizabeth sighed, clearing part of the fog away again.

There was a subtle roar that seemed to break through the otherwise eerie silence. _The waterfall_, she thought desperately, picking up her pace. She was slowly approaching a section of the forest she was slightly more familiar with. As familiar as someone could be after only a single visit. The fog was significantly less dense when the path opened up into more of a clearing. Elizabeth could see the waterfall out of the corner of her eye, pounding away at the rocks that sat below it. She half expected to see him sitting underneath of the rushing water, but he was not there. "Come on, you have to be here. Please…" she muttered under her breath.

Walking further into the clearing, Elizabeth looked for any sign of a camp or tracks that could have been left behind by someone. Doubt was beginning to plague her mind. A sudden splash made her heart race and she whirled around, rushing towards the lake near the waterfall. As the visibility grew better, she fell to her knees beside the body of water and looked around. Small ripples lapped up where the ground met the lake, but she could not find the source of it. "Lucas?" she whispered lightly, feeling a little nervous.

Hurried footsteps sounded behind her and she felt her muscles tense up, pulling her hood down further over her face. Something felt off. There was definitely someone here. She just could not tell if it was someone she was hoping to see. Getting to her feet, Elizabeth backed away from the lake, looking over her shoulder in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the person she had heard behind her, but there was no one there. The lake produced a guttural, bubbling noise that brought her attention back to it, before a strong stream of water erupted outwards, sweeping the girl off of her feet.

Disoriented and coughing, she rolled over onto her stomach and spit out some water that she had swallowed. "L-Lucas," she sputtered, trying to get past the gasping and breathe properly. It was him, it _had_ to be. Who else could have done that? The sound of a blade being unsheathed almost seemed to echo throughout the forest. "No, wait," the words barely escaped her throat as she continued to cough. "It's me, your cousin."

Unsteadily getting to her feet, she threw the sopping wet hood off of her head, feeling as the weight dragged the rest of the saturated cloak downwards. Lucas was standing in front of her, both elemental blades drawn out, ready to strike. "See, look, it's just me. It's Laurie," the red head pleaded, holding her hands out in front of her and breathing heavily. Her cousin stopped where he was, hands visibly tightening around the hilts of his weapons. While she had kept her hair extremely short, she could tell his was getting longer, starting to fall in front of his hazel grey eyes. There was a frown on his face and he looked hurt. "What's wrong?"

He rushed her, pushing her back against a nearby tree. Laurie struggled, attempting to push her cousin off of her, but she could not. He had always been strong. "You can't fool me," he growled, holding the blade in his left hand up near her throat. She could see the reflections of the weapon dancing, like ripples on a pond. "You might have been Laurie once, but you're not her anymore." Both hands were shaking as he kept her pinned to the trunk of the tree.

"W-What are you talking about? Of course I'm me!" Her words came out quickly. What was he talking about? "Look, I know we agreed to split up so it would make it harder for the others to find us both, but I came to find you because I need your help." She watched as he raised a scarred eyebrow, his grip on her becoming a little weaker. "That _thing_ has been getting worse. I-I know you were able to make it go away for a little while before so I was hoping you could do it again."

"You're being serious?" Lucas asked, still looking a bit skeptical. He watched as his cousin nodded her head quickly in response. The expression on Laurie's face was one he had not seen in the brief moment's he had fought his own brothers before retreating to the Misty Forest in an attempt to try and think of a plan to take back the city. She seemed fearful. Sighing, he stepped away from Laurie and watched as she inhaled deeply, obviously relieved. "This isn't a trick?" he questioned, sheathing his blades in the holsters around his waist.

Why was he asking this? "No, it's not a trick. I really need your help, Lucas. I swear." Her nerves were on edge as he placed a reassuring hand on her back and slowly led her over to the lake near the waterfall. "Why are we going over here?"

"You said it was getting worse," the Ninja of Water stated plainly, waving his free hand out in front of him. The fog vanished instantly, leaving everything in the clearing completely visible. As the two approached the edge of the lake, Lucas took a knee, gesturing for his cousin to do the same. Laurie humored him, looking around nervously as she knelt on the ground beside him. "I don't think you realize how bad it's already gotten. Why don't you take a look?"

Laurie placed her hands on her knees and slowly leaned over the gleaming water. Her reflection stared back at her, the glass-like liquid acting as the perfect mirror. Most of the skin on the left side of her face had grown ashen and her right eye seemed to be growing a darker blue. No wonder Lucas had thought this was a setup. She almost looked like one of _them_ now. "You can help me though, right?" she asked desperately, angrily splashing her reflection away. "You can get rid of it completely, can't you? I mean, the last time everything was a little rushed so you did the best you could, but…"

Lucas held up a gloved hand, signaling the Ninja of Wind to calm down. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

**Alrighty. Well, thank you for reading and I'll see you next week. :)**


	8. Psychosis

**Happy Wednesday. I did a thing where I stayed up late-ish. Oops. It's okay. Silverblade1999 kept me company and stuff. *whispers* Hail HYDRA...**

**This is the...uh...the timeline where the world is perfect and stuff. I forgot what I called it...**

* * *

Chapter Eight: Psychosis

Closing her eyes and letting out a shaky breath, Laurie was able to calm her frazzled nerves. "Thank you, Lucas," she smiled lightly, finally able to release most of the anxiety that had been building up within her for the past few weeks. "I wouldn't have come to you if I could have helped myself. It's dangerous for both of us, being in the same location." Opening her eyes slowly, the teenager noticed a bright light seemingly reflecting off of the ground. This did not look like the grass in the Misty Forest. Raising her head and looking around, Laurie became aware of everything around her.

"And is this 'Lucas' still here with you or is he gone now?"

Kicking her legs against the empty air, Laurie noticed she was sitting in a metal chair. She flinched, feeling her back hit the vertical slats behind her. Her breathing quickened and her heart rate increased. Where was she? The room was well lit, yet small, and the soft aroma of lavender filled the air. Craning her neck to look around her environment, she rested her gaze upon a man that was sitting in the corner of the room. Laurie jumped out of the chair, widening her stance and feeling her fists clench. "Where am I?" she growled, narrowing her eyes. The man raised an eyebrow and clicked the top of the pen in his hand, scribbling something hastily on a clipboard. "Where's my cousin?"

A small smile now adorned the aging man's face as he stood up and closed the space between himself and Laurie fairly quickly. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, holding his clipboard in his other hand, far away from her prying eyes. "You're fine. Why don't you just take your seat so we can talk some more?" She scrutinized him as he guided her back to the chair near a large window. "See, now you asked where your cousin was. Were you just speaking with him?"

Laurie took a good look at the man standing before her. He was dressed sharply, deep red collared shirt looking pressed and professional. His khaki pants reminded her of the uniform she wore to the museum every day and she let out a tired groan, slumping down slightly in her chair. She was supposed to be at the museum today, but now she was slowly beginning to remember what was happening. Her mother had decided that she needed to see a doctor, though not any old run-of-the-mill practitioner. No, that would be far too easy. This was the small office of a psychologist. "No, I wasn't talking to anyone," Laurie grumbled, switching her focus down towards her lap now. It had felt so real, being outside in the forest. She could have sworn she was actually there; there with Lucas. Inhaling sharply, the girl felt a heaviness steadily weigh down upon her heart. She really was crazy.

"It sure seemed like you were talking with someone," the man continued, his smile very kind. His patient had been very open and honest with him since her mother had brought her in. Talking about her unhappiness with a peaceful world and how sometimes she just felt lost. Then she had just kind of slipped into a one sided conversation, like he was not even there in the room with her anymore. "Do you want to talk about what you and your cousin were saying to each other? If you need to talk about it go right ahead. I'm here to listen to you."

In all honesty, Laurie really did not remember what she had been talking about, or thinking about, rather. "I don't know," she sighed, leaning her head back and staring up at the ceiling. The alabaster tiles above her were dotted with specks of grey and black and she wondered if she would be able to count all of the minuscule imperfections in the time it would take to finish the session she was currently in. "Can't really recall what we were 'talking about'. It doesn't really matter though, does it?" Laurie frowned, running her hands tiredly through her hair. "He's not actually here now, is he?"

A loud clap startled her and she jumped in her seat, immediately returning her attention to the man in front of her. "_That's_ what I'm talking about," he grinned, once more writing down something on his clipboard. Laurie wondered if she would get in trouble for kicking the stupid thing out of his hands. "That's the first step to recovery: realizing that what you're hearing or seeing isn't actually happening." She continued to stare at him as he babbled on about something she really could not have cared less about. There was something about the guy that Laurie really did not like. She just could not place what it was. "If you can just take a step back sometimes and really think about what's going on around you, you should slowly be able to discern what's real and what isn't."

She internally scoffed, not believing how enthusiastic this man was about her tired statement. Glancing over at the clock that sat above a cluttered, wooden desk she realized it was getting pretty late now. A couple of hours had passed since she had first arrived and maybe the sudden 'breakthrough' she had just had would be enough to convince this weirdo that she could leave for the day. Plastering on a small smile, Laurie nodded. "Yeah, actually, when I really think about it, it _does_ seem pretty easy to realize what's actually happening. I mean, my cousin was in his elemental robes and we haven't fought anything in almost a year now." Resisting every impulse within her that told her to keep her mouth closed, she continued on. "You're right, uh, Doctor…."

"Voler," the man finished, clicking his pen once more and shifting his clipboard to his left arm and extending his right outwards. Warily, Laurie shook the man's hand before leaning back in her chair. "Always happy to help someone that truly needs it and, from what your mom was telling me when she first brought you in today, it sounded like you really needed some help." Awkwardly, Dr. Voler stuck the thin pen behind his ear and Laurie watched it almost blend in with his deep-black hair. "So, you've been here a while and probably wanna head on out, but is there anything you want to talk about quickly before you go? It could be anything that's on your mind."

_How about the fact that I keep seeing things that aren't there_, Laurie thought sarcastically. Shrugging her shoulders innocently, she gave the man a quick shake of the head for an answer. Smiling in response, he gestured towards the door and Laurie quickly stood, rushing towards the exit. Her heart was beating extremely fast and she really did not understand why. It was just a talk with a doctor, right? Why did she feel so nervous about it? "I'll see you in a week or so then, Miss Garmadon?" he called out while she continued towards the room's exit, not looking back. "If you ever need to talk about your fears or insecurities, I can always pencil you in for a session." The cold metal of the spherical doorknob was reassuring in her hand and when she turned it, throwing the door open, someone was standing on the other side.

"The receptionist told me time was about up and I was just coming to get you," Misako smiled, noticing her daughter's paled face and anxious expression. "Did something happen? Are you okay, Laurie?" The girl's ice blue eyes widened and she glanced behind herself before focusing back on her mother. Misako could tell what that look meant. _Let's talk later_. Stepping into the room briefly, the woman allowed Laurie to pass and watched as she hastened her pace down the hallway and towards the reception area, not once taking a look back. It all seemed a little odd. "How was she, doctor?" the woman sighed, approaching the man who stood looking out of the single, large window in his office. "She didn't give you any trouble, did she?"

He gave a small smirk and chuckled. "No need for any formalities," Dr. Voler stated, crossing his arms over his chest. "You can call me, Rod. Laurie did very well today. She told me all about what's been bugging her. She thinks everything is a little too peaceful in Ninjago City." He paused for a brief moment, turning to face his client's guardian. "Do you agree with that, Mrs. Garmadon? Do you think peace is boring?"

Keeping herself close enough to eavesdrop, but far enough away to not draw suspicion from the receptionist shooting her odd glances, was very difficult. Laurie strained to hear what the psychologist was telling her mother. If she was being honest with herself, she could not even remember most of the session. It just was not there, gone from her memories. If she just took the time to really concentrate and think, maybe she could actually recall what had happened over the past few hours.

* * *

_"It just doesn't sound like a good idea to me," Laurie answered honestly, leaning back against a wall. The others were quietly chatting around her, seeming to enjoy themselves. "I know it's cool and everyone else wants to go, but we need to think this through for just a second. Everyone does know where it is, right? Where exactly it's located?" Kai held his head in his hands as the red head continued on. "Don't act like that. It's weird, okay? I just don't like it…"_

_He watched as the red ninja gave a heavy sigh. "If you really don't want to come, then don't. No one is forcing you to do anything. It's perfectly fine and we'll all be there." She just shook her head in response and glanced at him as he threw his hands up in defeat. "You really have no good reason why you don't want to go, do you?" The question hung in the air for a few minutes and Laurie fidgeted uncomfortably. "That's what I thought. Look, I love you, but sometimes you worry too much over the littlest things. It'll just be a quick visit, I promise."_

_Feeling a small frown adorn her face, Laurie looked up at the Ninja of Fire as he planted a quick kiss on her forehead. "Nothing to worry about, remember?"_

_"Yeah, nothing to worry about."_

* * *

"Honey, are you okay?"

Laurie gasped for air and blinked rapidly, noticing the three concerned faces in front of her. Misako had a firm grip on both of her daughter's arms and helped her up off of the ground and back on her feet. When had she fallen? What was going on? Dr. Voler eyed her warily and turned to his receptionist for a brief moment. She nodded and headed back over to her desk, writing something hastily. "Laurie, please say something," her mother pleaded, spectacled eyes full of concern.

Feeling very shaky, the red head nodded. "I'm fine, mother. Just lost my balance was all. I-I can be really clumsy, huh?" She gave a small laugh, brushing herself off and glancing at the psychologist out of the corner of her eye. Each sweep of his dark irises made her feel uncomfortable, like she was strapped down and being examined. "I'm fine though, really. Just a little dizzy, nothing to worry about. L-Let's go home so I can sleep." Still, she continued to feel Dr. Voler's gaze boring into her.

"Of course," Misako breathed, conceding defeat and gently leading her daughter away from the wall and towards the building's exit. "Thank you again, uh, Rod," she called back behind her as the heavy wooden door opened and closed. As the cool, outside air hit Laurie's skin she breathed a sigh of relief. It felt like she had been cooped up inside that office with that man forever. "We'll get you home as soon as possible so you can rest, honey. I promise." Laurie honestly did not care if they went back to the monastery or if they went to the stupid museum. Anywhere was better than this office.

_We have to go help them._

A voice floated on the wind and Laurie looked up towards the sky and closed her eyes. It was obvious to her that her mother had not heard it. If she had, she would have recognized it. If she recognized it, she would have stopped. They both kept walking, down the small, paved road that led away from the office of a person that Laurie decided she did not like. Laurie strained her ears, trying to listen for the voice of her cousin in the wind once more, but she did not hear it.

It was just not real.

* * *

**Yay. I'm still typing this at, like, late-ish o'clock and pretending it's Wednesday morning. Thanks for reading and...just, reading I guess. I'm tired...**

**Hooray for Ninjago tonight. I'm going to take a nice nap after my exams. No new update next week because I have to study for finals. New chapter on April 30th. Bye.**


	9. Panic

**Happy Wednesday. No more school for me until May 12. Hooray!**

**This is the Devourer Timeline.**

* * *

Chapter Nine: Panic

_Everyone around her seemed content enough. Jay babbled on like an idiot, his childish laughter filling the entire room. She gave a small smile, trying to keep herself from laughing. The Ninja of Lightning could make any situation seem better, more light-hearted, even when he was not trying. A breathtaking view of the city sprawled out as far as the eye could see and Laurie just gave a light sigh. Change was always a good thing. It was what kept the world going._

_"I don't think I feel as good about this as I did before."_

_She blinked briefly, focusing past the lights and discerning Kai's reflection in the glass. His brow was furrowed, light brown eyes glinting with a hint of anxiety. "Really? Everything seems relatively normal to me actually," the Ninja of Wind replied, turning around to see Kai. He placed a hand on her shoulder for a moment and squeezed it. A cold chill seemed to envelop her and Laurie grabbed the red ninja's wrist with both of her hands. "Kai, you can tell me what's bugging you. I mean, why the sudden change in thought?"_

_His eyes shifted nervously for a moment, but he straightened his posture, preparing to say something. A chipper voice called out from across the room, beckoning him over. Kai gave a frustrated sigh and rolled his eyes. "I was just thinking that maybe you were right. I still don't see anything to worry about, but something just feels off, you know?" He watched Laurie give him an understanding nod before he turned to oblige their host._

_"Yeah," the orange ninja whispered to herself as she watched Kai engage in a conversation. "I do know."_

* * *

"No!" She immediately shot up in bed, feeling the thin material of the sheets cling to her bare arms with sweat. Hands shaking, Laurie threw everything off of herself and jumped out of the bed. Pain shot through her ankle as it collided with the floor and she gritted her teeth against it, leaning on the side of the bed for support. "Kai, wait! Something bad is going to happen! I-I just know it is!" Legs trembling with adrenaline and weakness, Laurie tried to stand up on her own, collapsing to the ground seconds later. Breathing labored, she pushed herself up slowly, glancing around the room with tired eyes. "Kai?"

The door to the room opened quickly, slamming against the wall. A somewhat familiar individual entered, dark blue eyes narrowed with concern. Laurie watched as he quickly closed the distance of the room, strong hands gripping her arms and helping her back into the small bed. "Easy now," the man urged, his voice unusually calm, "you seem to be spooked by some dreams. No reason to be alarmed." She felt her lungs burning from the lack of air she was getting into her lungs. _I'm hyperventilating_, Laurie thought warily, attempting to slow her breathing. A vice seemed to grip her heart, tightening every second. "Everything is all right. Please, take a deep breath and relax."

She just needed to focus. It was obviously just a dream. Shakily inhaling, Laurie held her breath for a brief moment before letting it out. The pounding of her heart was beginning to subside gradually. _Think about something else. Think about anything else._ Ice blue eyes rested upon the man checking up on her. He was clothed in a pure white sweatshirt that contrasted heavily with his dark blue jeans. What was his name again? "T-Thank you," Laurie managed to say, putting a conscious effort into regulating her breathing. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble or anything." _Zane_. Now she remembered his name. Kai and Jay had introduced him to her a few days ago. He had been the one that had initially looked over her injuries. "Sorry."

Zane shook his head for a moment. "No need for an apology. This must be very stressful for you. If anything, the nightmares are normal. You could be suffering from post traumatic stress. It is not every day that someone comes across the largest serpent ever seen and walks away virtually unscathed." Very gently, he applied pressure to the area above Laurie's ankle and pulled away when he heard her suck in a breath. "My turn to apologize now. It still feels very tender then?" Zane saw the red head nod slowly and he gave a small sigh. "I would imagine it is just from irritating it. You tried to run to the door I assume? You were yelling for Kai…"

"It was nothing, really. Just a weird dream." She was beginning to remember everything a little more clearly now. Kai and Jay had left to go to the Birchwood Forest. They had a small base out there where they would stay, safe from the destruction of the Great Devourer. It was ingenious really: cold-blooded creatures preferred warm environments. The Great Devourer would not be stupid enough to wander into a snowy, heavily-wooded area. Kai had called a friend of his to come keep an eye on her while she was healing. _There's something about her that just makes me feel like she'd be reckless_, Laurie recalled him saying when Zane had first arrived. _Just try not to let her walk around on it and stuff until you think it's okay for her to do so_. "You know what, I think I want to just walk around the village today," Laurie smiled, shifting around in the bed and awkwardly grabbing the pair of crutches that were propped up against the headboard.

Standing and quickly moving backwards, Zane managed to dodge the crutches as the teenager haphazardly swung them around and started to situate herself on them. He felt like it was his responsibility to accompany her on her stroll, but the white ninja collected himself. The girl probably just needed some time to herself and if she was willing to use the crutches instead of aggravating her injury further, then he could trust her not to do anything reckless. "Sounds like a plan," he nodded, gesturing towards the door to the room.

* * *

"I remember why I didn't stay here long," Laurie mumbled under her breath, swinging the crutches forward and hopping along the cobblestone roads that ran through every inch of the village. A fountain nearby in the center of the square filled the air with a faintly melodic sound. It was actually comforting, just listening to sounds of the running water, trickling down from the top of the fountain and traveling down the small tributaries that ran through the streets. Sure, Jamanakai Village was really quaint and peaceful, but those were the reasons why Laurie held such disdain for it all. There was absolutely nothing to do. "Maybe there's a candy shop around here somewhere."

Despite the hustle and bustle around her, the girl continued to feel calm. As much as she wanted to be out looking for her father and brother right now, it felt nice to just wander around without a purpose. Maybe this injury was supposed to happen: a way to show her that she needed to take things as they came and just kind of enjoy what was happening around her. The journey is what matters after all. Of course, her destination was not set in stone. Laurie felt as if she would never actually find Lloyd or her father. Perhaps they would stay lost to her forever. Hobbling around the back-streets and more secluded areas, she looked for any shop that piqued her interest.

Then Laurie found it.

Just as small and quaint as the rest of the village, it sat nestled in between two slightly larger buildings. The sign hanging above the door made her smile and she did not hesitate as she slowly made her way to the door and pushed it open. A small bell attached to the door gave off a sweet ring, startling Laurie as the door closed shut behind her. This tea shop actually appeared smaller than she had anticipated on the inside. Then again, there had to be a ton of inventory in the back somewhere. A long counter, the centerpiece of the shop, was absolutely empty. Voice floated in from a room adjacent to the one she was standing in, the doorway being behind the counter. Leaning forward over the counter, Laurie saw a younger boy checking out a box of something that she could not really saw. Noticing a small bell next to a small television monitor on the left of the counter, the girl hit it once, hearing the reverberating ring spread throughout the room.

"Sorry, I'm coming!"

Hopping backwards, Laurie distanced herself from the counter as someone emerged from the back room. He gave her a smile as he wiped his hands on his pants briefly. "Good morning. How can I help you?" he asked, hazel grey eyes kind. Laurie scrutinized him, just feeling herself stare. Shifting under her gaze, he crossed his arms over his grey t-shirt before speaking again. "Are you looking for anything in particular or are you-"

"Lucas," the red head whispered, feeling her breath catch in her throat. What was he doing here in Jamanakai Village? "You're okay! I saw the others earlier, well not Cole, but you weren't there. Here you are though! I'm so glad you're alright. I was starting to think something bad happened to you with the Great Devourer just roaming around and all." She watched as her cousin gave her a hard stare, eyes widening slightly in confusion. "Don't look at me like that," Laurie laughed lightly, leaning most of her weight on her right crutch. "I just worry sometimes. I know you're more than capable of surviving on your own. It's just…family stuff."

Silence spread on for a while and Laurie was beginning to hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears. "I think you have me confused for someone else," he replied, his face a mask of utter confusion. Laurie felt her stomach drop. No, he _had_ to know who she was. They had spent enough time together after he had come out of his coma. There was no way she was confusing him with someone else. This was Lucas. This was her cousin. She would recognize him anywhere. "I can just let you browse if you don't know what you want yet."

"It's me, Lucas, your cousin," the girl urged, feeling the tightness in her chest begin to return. _No need to panic_, she thought to herself, taking in a deep breath. _Just keep calm and try to talk it through. There has to be a good explanation for what's happening_.

Shaking his head, Lucas just shrugged. "I'm really sorry, but you _must_ have me confused with someone else. I've never seen you before." He watched his customer's face fall indefinitely and he sighed. "I'll be in the back going through inventory. If you decide on what you want, just ring the bell again." With that, Laurie watched her cousin disappear beyond the doorway and out of sight.

Taking a step back, Laurie took a deep breath. Something was really wrong. She knew who this guy was, or at least she felt like she did, but when she really explored her memories she could not recall actually seeing him before. It was almost like the information had just appeared in her head. The name and face seemed to match what she knew, but then how did she know who he was? _He's your cousin, that's how you know_, her thoughts spoke. _The team, the Mega Weapon, the fights, and the Overlord. He was there through it all._

The Overlord? What in Ninjago was an Overlord? Feeling nervous and a little bit frustrated with herself, Laurie spun on her heel and exited the tea shop as quickly as possible. If something in her memories was telling her that this guy was her cousin, she felt like she just had to believe it. There were other thoughts and memories that were out of place too. These ninja that had saved her from falling to her death, she knew them too. She knew she could trust them, fight alongside them.

Laurie just did not know why.

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading! See you next week. :D**


	10. Heartbreak

**Happy Wednesday! You know when you just write something that you love and feel all aaaaaahhhhh inside? That's how I feel right now. XD**

**This is the Overlord Timeline. Lucas belongs to Packerfan95.**

* * *

Chapter Ten: Heartbreak

The light was almost blinding as Laurie suddenly blinked, attempting to figure out exactly where she was. Fading sunlight filtered down through the canopy trees spread out above, casting shadows from the leaves all across the grass in the clearing. The roaring of the waterfall close by captured the girl's attention and she noticed how labored her breathing was. A concerned figure loomed over her, an eyebrow raised. Groaning slightly, Laurie rubbed her temples with her hands, eyes focusing solely on her cousin. "Lucas," the girl breathed, mind whirling with confusion. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Yeah," the grey ninja started, tossing his cousin's wet cloak to the ground. It thudded hard against the grassy clearing. Laurie's hands flew up to her neck, now noticing the absence of her cloak's clasp. When had she taken it off? "I was in the process of trying to heal you and you just kind of zoned out." The air around both of them seemed to freeze with tension and anticipation, silence setting in. Even the normally ambient sounds of the forest ceased completely. "I wasn't really too worried at first, but it lasted a while." She just blinked, in response, feeling a new sense of urgency overwhelm her. "You've been out of it for at least a couple of hours now."

She was beginning to remember now, at least a little bit. There were just flashes of other scenes, other places she had been. The bright room of an office. The snow-lined streets of Jamanakai Village. The small tea shop that her uncle visited on the occasion. "I-I was in other places…I think," Laurie gasped lightly, clasping her hands over her mouth. "You weren't there, but then you _were_ there only you didn't know me and…" She trailed off as she began to realize how odd it all sounded. Her ice blue eyes fell and widened slightly as she took in the sight of her bare hands. They were their normal, devoid of any grey. _I was in the process of trying to heal you and you just kind of zoned out_. "Lucas…you did it," the girl smiled, feeling a new sense of hope rekindle within her. Everything was going to be okay now. "T-Thank you so much!" She knew that if anyone was going to be able to help her, it would have been her cousin.

"Don't thank me just yet," Lucas answered, pacing over towards the edge of the lake and gazing down into its seemingly fathomless depths. "Take another look." Shifting slightly on her legs, Laurie repositioned herself to let her sleeping limbs get some feeling back into them before really examining her hands. They looked completely fine. Flipping them over, palms facing upwards, the Ninja of Wind finally saw what her cousin was talking about. A splotchy, grey mark was splashed across the lower area of her left palm, just above the wrist. It glared at her, teasing her. "It sounds crazy, but I think once you're infected by the Dark Matter, it's impossible to get rid of completely."

_No, that can't be true_, Laurie thought anxiously, a sudden burst of cold flooding her veins. There _had_ to be a way to get rid of it! That was why she had come to Lucas in the first place! Gritting her teeth against the frustration she was feeling, Laurie got to her feet. "Why not?" she spat, her anger uncontrollably spreading. The grey area on her palm grew slightly, responding to her vastly negative emotions, causing the orange ninja to take a few steps back. No matter what happened, she had to try and stay calm. "I mean, why can't you get rid of it, Lucas? You can heal broken bones and tons of other things! So why can't you help me with _this_?"

"You know our abilities aren't resistant to the Dark Matter to begin with. It limits us, makes us powerless." Laurie nodded in understanding. She could recall the necklace that Rhea had tricked her into wearing; the gemstone embedded with Dark Matter sitting nestled just above her chest. Laurie shivered slightly at the memories. "There may be more to it than that though," Lucas stated gravely, his hazel grey eyes still focused on the lake. He bent over for a moment, procuring a lone, smooth rock. Tossing it into the air once, the grey ninja caught it and skipped it across the water, sending ripples out in all directions. "Everyone harbors some kind of darkness within them and I'm starting to think that it helps the Dark Matter take root and spread. I can stop it from spreading, and even reverse it up to a point, but I can't get rid of it. I'm sorry."

Hopelessness clawed at Laurie's mind as she let Lucas' words sink in. Everyone harbored darkness within them? How was that even possible? Her thoughts wandered as she tried to think of what could possibly be keeping the Dark Matter tethered to her. _My father,_ she thought suddenly, shutting her eyes tightly. A surge of hatred welled up inside of her as she thought about him. Everything that was happening was only happening because of him. His lust for power had brought the world to brink of destruction. She could feel her hands clenching into fists. Her father had hurt so many of the people that she cared for, herself included. Now her friends were gone, her brother dead. _It's all his fault_. Laurie gave an enraged cry, falling to her knees and pounding her fists against the ground, tears streaming down her face.

"Laurie!" She heard Lucas' voice, but just tried to ignore it. Her hatred had fueled her for so long, giving her a motive for fighting. It had always been something that she held on to. Now it was the one thing that was causing her downfall. "Hey, just clam down and breathe, alright?" This time the Ninja of Wind listened, focusing hard on regulating her breathing. In and out. In and out. "You're just going to make it spread faster if you give in like that," her cousin warned. Opening her eyes slowly, Laurie glanced down at her left hand, seeing the dark grey tendrils of evil slowly lick at the top of her hand.

Her vision was blurring now, even though she was wiping away her tears. "Okay," Laurie murmured, feeling extremely light-headed now. The world was spinning around her, the foliage beneath her whipping into a solid green blur. All of the sounds around her were beginning to fade into the background, replaced by deafening silence. "Okay."

* * *

_Red light._

_It filled the small, enclosed space, accompanied by a blaring sound. She felt her heart drop down into her stomach as she seemed to detach herself from the situation around her. As her friends quickly conversed around her, coming up with a plan, Laurie only noticed the sudden danger that they had been placed in. The unexplained feeling of dread and uneasiness that she had felt when she had first arrived at the building almost seemed to be justified now. Everything had been going so well and now this? Why?_

_"Laurie!" She glanced upwards, seeing Kai extending a hand towards her, and grabbed it as quickly as possible. As he helped her through the small exit, Laurie unsteadily got to her feet, feeling the wind whipping upwards around her. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins and a small smile crept its way across her freckled face. Was this all dangerous? Yes. Was it fun at the same time? Definitely. Before she even heard her friends yell, the orange ninja was already picking up her pace, following their lead._

_"Jump!"_

* * *

Sputtering and coughing, Laurie sat up suddenly. She was propped up against the trunk of a tree, the bark rough against the back of her neck. Thick mist clouded her vision, making it impossible to see anything too far in front of her. It was obvious that she was still in the Misty Forest, but why the sudden change of scenery? "Lucas?" She cupped her hands around her mouth, attempting to amplify the sound of her own voice. "Luc-" A gloved hand clamped itself down over her mouth, stifling her. Laurie felt her breath catch in her throat as she craned her neck backwards, trying to see who was detaining her.

"Relax, it's just me," her cousin whispered in her ear, setting her nerves at ease. She nodded in reply, still confused about what was going on. "Just keep quiet, grab your dagger, and try to keep your eyes peeled. I don't think we're alone anymore." With that, Lucas released his cousin and threw his mask down over his face, disappearing into the mist.

Wasting absolutely no time, Laurie was up on her feet, realizing that she was once more clothed in her cloak. Inching her right hands towards the hidden pocket, she procured her dagger from inside, gripping the wooden handle tightly. There was a distorted shout from somewhere out in the forest and Laurie just inhaled deeply, raising her hood over her head, throwing her features into the shadows. Lucas had said that he thought someone else was here with them. Who else could possibly have found this place? As she left the tree and ventured out into the mist, Laurie felt her stomach drop. "Oh no," she muttered to herself. "Please no…"

The rustling of leaves sounded all around her and Laurie scanned the area in front of her, trying to discern everything from the whiteness. No shadows. No moving shapes. Everything seemed to be okay, but looks could always be deceiving. Treading slowly, Laurie found herself spinning around, trying to keep herself from being surprised by anything or anyone. There was the unmistakable flash of lightning that seemed to erupt from nowhere. "No, no, no," Laurie breathed, picking up her pace, blindly fumbling through the thick mist. This was all her fault. She should have just stayed in the city.

Everything began to shake around her and Laurie fell to a knee as she lost her balance. This was not good. How could they have known she was going to come here? They must have somehow been watching her, following her as she left the city. Maybe the Overlord had been waiting for something like this to happen: both her and Lucas in the same place again for the first time in a while. The perfect opportunity to ambush them. As Laurie finally got back on her feet, she sprinted forward, trying to get her bearings on the environment. It was impossible to know if she was traveling in circles or not. She was now just hoping to try and make it out of the Misty Forest as quickly as possible, something she hoped her cousin was doing too.

_Danger_.

Clenching her teeth, the orange ninja spun around, flipping her dagger around in her hand, the blade facing downwards. As she twisted her arm in front of her face, she managed to catch someone else's blade, a metallic clang echoing through the air. Narrowing her eyes, Laurie noticed that the individual she had just stopped was only her cousin. "Lucas, what are you doing?" she whispered, lowering her own weapon as he slowly lowered his. "You scared me to death."

"I thought you were someone else," the brunet sighed, his voice muffled by the material of his mask. "Sorry."

Laurie could feel her hands shaking slightly, jittery with adrenaline as she started to focus on something shining in the distance. It wavered and danced, practically mesmerizing her and the orange ninja took a step to her right, trying to get a better look at it. The object seemed to be growing, the glow it emitted becoming more intense the larger it got. _Well that's weird,_ Laurie thought, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She squinted as the glowing from what was slowly becoming a large sphere, seemed to reflect off of the water droplets in the air. _Wait a second. _"Lucas, get down," the Ninja of Wind urged, grabbing her cousin's arm and feeling relieved as he ducked in time with her, the fireball soaring over both of their heads.

"Please, please no," Laurie whispered to herself, feeling sick to her stomach now. Sure, she had seen them out of the corner of her eye while she hid in the city. Yes, she had caught glimpses of their forms darting in and out of the shadows, searching. Not _him_ though. Not him. Laurie had not really seen him since he had fallen to the darkness, scaling the steps the encircled the large tower. "No, no, no." Shakily standing, Laurie felt the dagger slip out of her grip and fall towards the ground. Lucas stood beside her, both elemental blades poised to strike.

His silhouette grew through the mist, soft red light pulsing from the blade in his right hand. Laurie glanced at the grassy ground, quickly grabbing her dagger and gripping it tightly in both of her hands, swallowing hard. Running away from them had always been hard enough. Stabbing Cole back in the alley when he had grabbed her had felt heartbreaking. This though…this could not be happening. Not between him and her. Especially not now. Laurie did not know if she could bring herself to hurt him, even if he was not really himself. The Ninja of Wind felt a single, hot tear roll down her right cheek as Kai came into her line of sight. The familiar spiky hair was out of place with his grey skin and blazing purple eyes. It was a painful reminder of the past that hit Laurie in the gut like a hard punch.

"Well then," the red ninja smirked, gazing thoughtfully at his weapon before returning his attention to the two people in front of him. "You can come quietly or you can be defeated. The choice is ultimately yours to make."

* * *

**Yay. :3**

**Thank you so so so much for reading! I'll see you next week. Bye. :D**


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